Rs 18 Cr Gold, Silver Stolen from Home
A shocking jewellery theft worth nearly ₹18 crore has come to light in Bengaluru, where burglars allegedly broke into multiple lockers inside a businessman’s residence and fled with massive quantities of gold, diamonds, and silver while the family was away.
The high-value heist has left the neighbourhood stunned and raised serious concerns about household security, especially involving newly hired domestic staff.
Family Away for Ceremony When Theft Allegedly Occurred
The incident took place on January 25 at the home of 28-year-old businessman Shimanth S Arjun. According to police, Shimanth, his mother Malini, and his wife Tanmayi left the house around 9:00 am to attend a ceremony at a relative’s residence. His father was out of town for work at the time.
With no family members present, the house was left in the care of domestic staff.
Newly Hired Housekeeping Staff Suspected
Police revealed that the household had employed several workers, including a cook named Ambika, a staff member identified as Siddharam, and two housekeeping workers, Dinesh and Kamala. Notably, Dinesh and Kamala had joined the household just about 20 days earlier through a housekeeping agency.
Investigators believe the accused may have closely monitored the family’s daily routine before carrying out the theft.
Cook Raises Alarm, Lockers Found Broken
At around 12:38 pm, Ambika allegedly called the family, warning them that Dinesh, Kamala, and others had broken open cupboards and fled the premises. Alarmed by the call, the family rushed back home.
What they discovered was devastating. Thieves forced open the locker in the ground-floor bedroom using an iron rod and made off with valuables, and also broke into another locker on the first floor.
Over 11.5 kg of Gold Jewellery and Cash Missing
In his complaint, Shimanth stated that approximately 10 kg of gold and diamond jewellery had been stolen from the ground-floor locker alone. From the first-floor locker, the family reported the loss of around 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, 5 kg of silver ornaments, and ₹11.5 lakh in cash.
Altogether, the stolen valuables include about 11.5 kg of gold and diamond jewellery and 5 kg of silver jewellery, bringing the estimated value of the theft close to ₹18 crore.
Police Launch Manhunt, Investigation Ongoing
Based on the complaint, police have registered a case against Dinesh (32), his wife Kamala (25), and other unidentified individuals. Authorities are actively investigating the case to trace the accused and recover the stolen valuables.