Sri Lanka Police has issued a public advisory following several complaints of valuables being stolen by individuals employed in domestic service.
According to a statement from the Police Media Division, complaints received by police stations indicate incidents where domestic workers have allegedly stolen gold jewellery, cash, foreign currency and other valuables from the households where they were employed.
The Police noted that employing domestic workers is common in Colombo and its suburbs such as Mirihana, Maharagama, Dehiwala and Mount Lavinia, as well as in many other parts of the country.
Domestic workers are often recruited through agencies, intermediaries or business establishments, while some are hired directly by homeowners.
However, investigations have revealed cases where certain individuals employed as domestic workers have dishonestly removed money, gold and other property from their employers’ residences.
Police also warned that in some cases groups may deliberately seek employment in affluent households with the intention of committing theft, sometimes involving relatives to assist in such activities.
In response, the Police have urged the public to follow several precautionary measures when employing domestic workers.
Homeowners are advised to verify the background and personal details of individuals before hiring them and obtain a clear photocopy of the National Identity Card (NIC) while checking it against the original.
Police also recommend obtaining police clearance or verification reports from the police stations in the worker’s permanent and temporary areas of residence.
Employers are further encouraged to collect contact details of family members and emergency contacts of the worker in advance.
The Police also advised residents to store jewellery, cash and important documents in secure locations and avoid leaving domestic workers alone in the house whenever possible.
In addition, homeowners are encouraged to provide copies of relevant documents to the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the local police station and inform the police about the employment.
Sri Lanka Police said that increasing public awareness and following these precautionary measures could help reduce and prevent theft-related incidents involving domestic workers.