Maid caught stealing on CCTV

A couple from Mulund, fed up of valuables going missing from their home for two years, finally installed CCTV cameras in their house and caught the thief — the house help — red-handed.

A couple from Mulund, fed up of valuables going missing from their home for two years, finally installed CCTV cameras in their house and caught the thief — the house help — red-handed.

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The Navghar police said Robin Chanchlani, 35, who lives with his wife and mother in Mulund (East), had gold jewellery going missing from home regularly. “At infrequent intervals the family would find a gold bangle or gold pendant missing and wondered if they had been misplacing jewellery,” said AS Sawant, assistant inspector of Navghar police station, who is investigating the case.

“Six months ago, when a gold necklace went missing, the Chanchlanis were convinced someone had been stealing,” Sawant said. Initially, they were not sure if Manda Deshmukh, 47, their house help of two years, was behind it.

They, however, could not directly question Deshmukh, as they did not have any proof. “The family then decided to catch her red-handed. They got a CCTV camera installed in their bedroom and hall in the last week of June,” Sawant said.

The family then told Deshmukh they were going to Shirdi on Thursday and would return on Sunday. As in the past, they gave her the keys to the house. “When the family checked the CCTV footage on returning, they found Deshmukh rummaging through their cupboard for jewellery. The family had taken all their jewellery along with them,” Sawant said.

Armed with footage, the family approached the Navghar police. The police then arrested Deshmukh, a Thane resident, on theft charges.

Police said Deshmukh confessed to her crime.