BENGALURU: Three Mumbai-based women who conspired to steal valuables from a household here were arrested.
Priyanka Rajesh Mogre, 29, Mahadevi, 26, and Vanitha Gaikwad, 37, were active in Mumbai and came to Bengaluru recently to commit offences. Police have recovered 250 grams of gold and 100 grams of silver articles from them.
Cops said Vanitha led the team and faces over 37 cases of theft and burglary in Maharashtra. Priyanka had studied till class 12 and had knowledge about social media. The gang came to Bengaluru in April and Priyanka posted a self-advertisement on a Facebook page titled ‘Refer House Maids, Bangalore’.
Aravind R, a builder, contacted them. Mahadevi approached Aravind at his flat near Horamavu Agara and introduced herself as Subbulakshmi from Dakshina Kannada. She gave him a forged Aadhaar card as ID proof to join as housemaid on May 3. On May 6, she escaped with 250 grams of gold and 100 grams of silver articles. Hennur police registered a case of theft, based on a complaint filed by Aravind. Police said the accused have claimed this to be their first offence in Bengaluru, but have several cases pending against them in Mumbai.
Priyanka and Mahadevi are friends, just like their husbands. They got in touch with Vanitha a few years ago. They would visit apartments in Mumbai, befriend security guards, and get work as house helps with their recommendation. They would steal valuables within days and disappear. However, in Bengaluru, they used social media to find jobs.
DCP (east) Bheemashankar S Guled formed a special team to crack the case. Through the mobile number mentioned in the Facebook ad, police learnt that the maid had arrived from Mumbai. Cops cops found that three women, including a maid, were staying in a lodge near Upparpet and left the city soon after Mahadevi stole the valuables.
