Locker containing cash and jewellery broken into as senior citizen steps out to market; household help absconding

A senior citizen living alone in the city returned home and went around doing her chores not knowing that the locker in the next room had been broken into and she was now poorer by about Rs 8 lakh.

Nobel Hariya (65) has a son who lives abroad, but she has been living alone in Sita Smriti building in Juhu. Yesterday at 3.35 pm as usual Hariya left her home to shop for vegetables at a nearby market.

She returned at 4 pm and went about her usual household chores and by 5 pm when she stepped into the room where the locker was and wasu00a0 aghast to find it broken into and all her savings and jewellery missing.

Hariya was confused at first and decided to check whether her servant had been in the house when she was away.

After searching within the society with the help of the security guard for him, she decided at 8 pm to file a case with the police.

According to her complaint, she claims that the main door was locked when she returned from the market and there were no signs of forced entry.

Hariya has stated that the locker contained Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and Rs 6.5 lakh worth of jewellery, which the servant was aware of.

She also gave the police details of all people who visited her home and the police have picked up the building watchman, delivery boy from the grocery store, laundry man and a few others for questioning in connection with the case. The Juhu police have not been able to locate the servant at his home since he is absconding.

A police officer at the Juhu police station, requesting anonymity, said, "An insider who was well aware of the flat and also where the valuables were kept has committed the robbery."
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He also added that the thief was aware about the movements of the owner and could have used a duplicate key to gain entry.

At the time of going to the press, the police had not made any arrests in connection with the case and the enquiry is still ongoing.

Rs 6.5 lakh
Worth jewellery stolen from locker

Rs 1.5 lakh
Cash stolen from locker