Domestic Help Turns Thief: ₹52.5 Lakh Heist Cracked, Accused Arrested from Bihar

Jaipur: In a startling case of betrayal of trust, Jaipur Police have solved a major theft involving ₹52.50 lakh from the residence of an export businessman, arresting the accused—who turned out to be the family’s long-serving domestic help—from Bihar. The accused had been working at the house for nearly 20 years.

The incident came to light after the businessman returned to Jaipur with his family following an overseas New Year vacation. Initially suspecting the loss of ₹22 lakh, the family lodged a complaint at Bajaj Nagar police station on January 12. A detailed investigation, however, revealed that the total amount stolen over multiple instances was ₹52.50 lakh.

Trusted Insider with Full Access

According to ACP Malviya Nagar Vinod Sharma, the accused has been identified as Mantu alias Ramu alias Manoj Thakur (40), a resident of Banka district in Bihar. He had been employed at the businessman’s residence in Dev Nagar, under Bajaj Nagar police limits, for two decades. Due to his long association, he enjoyed unrestricted access to all rooms of the house and was considered highly trustworthy.

Crime Planned During Family’s Absence

The complaint stated that the family left for a foreign trip on January 1, while the domestic help also took leave, claiming he was visiting his native village. When the family returned on January 9, they discovered cash missing from lockers and cupboards.

During the probe, police found that the CCTV cameras inside the house had been deliberately switched off at the time of the theft. On analysing footage from nearby cameras, investigators spotted a man jumping over the compound wall and entering the house on the night of January 3. The footage clearly identified the intruder as the same domestic help.

Arrest from 1,500 km Away

Using mobile phone location tracking, a police team traced the accused to Banka district in Bihar—nearly 1,500 kilometres from Jaipur. The area is known to be Naxal-affected, and the accused reportedly believed he would remain safe there. However, Jaipur Police conducted a raid at his residence and successfully arrested him.

Entire Stolen Amount Recovered

Bajaj Nagar SHO Poonam Chaudhary confirmed that during interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime. Police recovered the entire stolen amount of ₹52.50 lakh from his possession. He was produced before the court on Sunday afternoon and has been remanded to three days of police custody.

Investigators are now examining whether the accused had committed similar thefts in the past and transferred money to his village earlier as well.

The case has once again highlighted the importance of vigilance, even with long-trusted household staff, and the effectiveness of coordinated police action across state lines.