2 kg gold, 15 lockers! How Delhi's 'serial maid thief' stole crores, parked it in...

A 46-year-old woman accused of carrying out a string of high-value house thefts across Delhi while posing as a domestic helper has been arrested after years of evading police, according to a report by The Indian Express.

Known by multiple identities, including Sonia, Sona and Anita, the woman allegedly targeted affluent households, stole gold and diamond jewellery, and then used the valuables to secure loans from non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) instead of selling them.

Six cases of house thefts have been linked to the woman, stretching from 2008 to her latest alleged offence in April 2026.

According to investigators, Sonia came to Delhi from Chennai with her husband Kartikeya more than two decades ago and later settled in West Delhi. She began working as a domestic help in 2008.

Police alleged that she developed a methodical approach to theft. "So, she planned to steal. She would work at houses for a few days, get an idea about where the families kept jewellery, steal it when they were either asleep or busy, and flee," a police officer told IE.

Investigators said she often relied on information from security guards at upscale colonies to identify households looking for temporary domestic help. Her first alleged theft took place in Punjabi Bagh in 2008. Several more followed over the years, including a theft of jewellery worth around Rs 2 crore from a house in Shalimar Bagh in October last year and another worth Rs 60 lakh in Maurya Enclave in September 2025.

Investigators claim she rarely sold the stolen jewellery. Instead, she allegedly deposited it in lockers maintained by NBFCs and obtained loans against the gold. "She took all the jewellery and deposited it in a locker with Muthoot Finance for a gold loan," a senior police officer was quoted as saying.

Police said the woman had opened 15 such lockers since 2008 and that more than 2 kg of gold has been traced to them. Her arrest followed a complaint filed by businessman Vijay Pal Gupta after jewellery worth about Rs 1.5 crore allegedly disappeared from his Shalimar Bagh home in April.

According to police, the woman secured employment at Gupta's residence after learning through a security guard that the family needed domestic help. She offered to work for half the salary paid to the previous helper and assured the family they need not pay her if dissatisfied with her work.

Police said she joined the household on April 16 and spent the next few days observing where jewellery was kept.

On April 19, when Gupta and his wife were praying in the puja room, she allegedly entered the bedroom and stole gold and diamond jewellery before fleeing. She stole diamonds and gold jewellery worth Rs 1.5 crore, a police officer said.

Police tracked the suspect to Rohini Sector 11 after weeks of investigation. When officers raided her three-storey house on April 29, they encountered 15 dogs, including Pitbulls and American Bullies, the report said. The accused was eventually found hiding under quilts in a bedroom. During questioning, she allegedly identified herself as Malika, though investigators recovered an Aadhaar card bearing the name Sona.

Officers also claimed she owns multiple properties in Rohini and bred dogs for sale. "She has buildings and flats worth crores, including in Rohini Sector 5. We are in the process of seizing them," a senior officer said. Jewellery allegedly stolen from businessman Vijay Pal Gupta's house was also deposited in a loan company locker.