According to the Police , complaints received by various police stations revealed that incidents where individuals employed in domestic service had dishonestly removed valuables such as gold jewellery, cash, foreign currency, and other property from households.
Police said that the employment of domestic workers is a common practice in and around Colombo and its suburbs including Mirihana, Maharagama, Dehiwala and Mount Lavinia, as well as in many other parts of the island.
Domestic workers are often recruited through agencies, intermediaries, and business establishments, while some are directly hired by homeowners. However, investigations into complaints have revealed cases where certain domestic workers had allegedly stolen money, gold, foreign currency and other valuable items from the houses where they were employed.
Based on these investigations, police said it is important to raise public awareness and encourage precautionary measures to prevent similar incidents.
Police have advised the public to take several steps when employing domestic workers:
* Verify the background and personal details of any individual before offering employment.
* Obtain a clear photocopy of the National Identity Card (NIC) and compare it with the original.
* Request a police clearance or verification report from the police station in the areas of both permanent and temporary residence.
* Collect and record the contact numbers of family members and emergency contacts.
* Keep jewellery, cash, and important documents in secure locations within the home.
* Avoid leaving domestic workers alone in the house whenever possible, and take precautions if it cannot be avoided.
* Provide copies of relevant documents to the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the police station within the local police division and inform them about the employment.
Police also noted that in some instances groups may deliberately target affluent households by seeking employment as domestic workers, sometimes involving relatives to assist in such activities. In addition, certain individuals may attempt to gain the trust of household members quickly and later misuse that trust.
