Sri Lanka Police say they have received several complaints about incidents in which domestic workers have allegedly stolen valuables such as gold, cash, foreign currency and other property from the households where they were employed.
In a statement, the Police Media Division said it is raising public awareness and providing guidance to help prevent such incidents.
The police noted that employing domestic workers in private homes is common in Colombo and surrounding areas such as 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 in some cases they are hired directly by homeowners.
However, investigations into complaints received by police stations have revealed instances where certain domestic workers have dishonestly removed valuables including money, gold, property and foreign currency from the households where they were employed.
Based on observations made during these investigations, the police said it is important to provide guidance to the public to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
Accordingly, the public has been advised to follow several precautionary measures when employing individuals for domestic service.
Recommended precautionary measures include carefully verifying the background and personal details of any individual before offering employment, obtaining a clear photocopy of the National Identity Card and comparing it with the original document, and seeking a police clearance or verification report from the police station in the areas of both permanent and temporary residence of the person being employed.
Police also advise homeowners to collect and record the contact numbers of family members and emergency contacts of the employee in advance.
In addition, jewellery, cash and important documents should be stored in secure locations, and homeowners are advised to avoid leaving domestic workers alone in the house whenever possible.
If it is unavoidable, suitable precautions should be taken to safeguard valuable property.
The police also encourage homeowners to provide copies of relevant documents to the Officer-in-Charge of the police station within the division where the residence is located and inform the police about the employment.
Sri Lanka Police emphasized that increasing public awareness and following these precautionary measures can significantly reduce and prevent such theft-related incidents.
