BENGALURU: The Marathahalli police are on the lookout for a couple, who were employed as domestic helps, for stealing gold, silver and diamond jewellery as well as cash worth Rs 18 crore in total from a businessman’s house on Kempapura Main Road on Sunday afternoon.
The accused have been identified as Dinesh (32) and his wife Kamala (25), who had joined the household as domestic help about 20 days before the theft. Shimanth S Arjun (28), a businessman whose father is a builder, had gone with his family to attend a relative’s bhoomi puja at H Cross around 9 am. Taking advantage of the absence of the family, the couple along with their accomplices, broke open a cupboard on the ground floor using an iron rod, and stole nearly 10 kg of gold and diamond jewellery.
Another locker in a first-floor bedroom was also forced open, from which about 1.5 kg of gold, nearly 5 kg of silver ornaments and Rs 11.5 lakh in cash were stolen.
Police said another domestic help noticed the broken doors and alerted Arjun around 12.30 pm. CCTV footage from the area is being analysed, and a manhunt has been launched to trace the accused.