Mangaluru: A case of suspected theft has emerged under the jurisdiction of Barke police after a woman reported that gold jewellery weighing around 171 grams and valued at ₹8.5 lakh had vanished from her home.
The complainant, Pooja P, revealed that her husband—who works overseas—had returned to India on July 19. Living in a joint family, the couple had hired a caregiver named Geetha from Karwar to attend to the ailing grandmother, Ratna.
On July 20, Pooja and her family, including her husband and children, visited Polali Temple. Before leaving, she took a gold bangle from a jewellery box kept in a locked safe inside her bedroom cupboard. After returning, she replaced the bangle, locked the safe, and tucked the key under a pile of papers on a cupboard shelf, leaving the cupboard door shut but unlocked.
Later that evening, Pooja discovered the key was missing. Despite several searches, it couldn’t be found. Assuming it had been misplaced, the family continued their routine.
On July 22, several family members went out, leaving only Geetha and the elderly grandmother at home. Pooja and her children left for her mother’s house in Kodaje on July 23. Her husband returned home on July 25, while Pooja came back on July 26. Another search for the key proved fruitless.
A locksmith was called on July 28, and a new lock was installed. The next morning, it was found that several gold items had disappeared from the jewellery box.
A formal complaint was lodged on August 3. Police are now investigating, with special focus on those who had access during the critical time window, particularly the caregiver.