Shedding light on recent phenomenon, psychiatrists say lure of fame is pushing some to steal luxury goods so that they can impress followers on social media
Rupali Singh with her mother in a stolen saree
The urge to showcase luxury on social media has led to several instances where domestic workers steal from their employers. In recent months, four such incidents have resulted in arrests after the accused showed off stolen items online. Homeowners expressed a sense of betrayal to mid-day, noting that the actions of these individuals have made them doubt the integrity of others.
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According to psychiatrists and experts, many individuals are trapped in a fantasy world. “They believe that posting such videos on social media reflects success, but, in reality, it’s simply a pursuit of fame,” Dr Sagar Mundada, psychiatrist and de-addiction expert, said.
The domestic worker who was seen wearing stolen glasses on WhatsApp (right) The accused posing with a stolen watch
“The youth are now living in a fake world, not the real one. They learn and believe everything they see on social media. Domestic workers think that by gaining fame online, they are achieving success, but that’s far from reality. When they get time, they check Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. Employers must build trust with new hires gradually and monitor them, while also regularly reviewing CCTV footage.”
WhatsApp status
A recent incident involved Rupali Singh, a domestic worker from Kandivali East, who stole items worth R3.5 lakh, including a watch, clothes, sarees, t-shirts, jeans and perfume. After quitting her job, Singh posted photos on WhatsApp in which she was wearing sunglasses, the stolen watch and clothes and gifting the stolen saree to her mother. The homeowner reported the theft to the Samta Nagar police, who are now tracking her.
Advocate Sunil Pandey
The homeowner said, “We hired Rupali Singh just 1.5 months ago and paid her Rs 20,000 for cleaning. She shattered our trust by stealing our expensive items. After a trip to Thailand, we bought clothes, a limited-edition watch, a saree and perfume among other things. She took everything and fled. My wife discovered the theft when she saw Rupali’s WhatsApp status.”
Singh was reportedly addicted to Instagram and Facebook, often spending her free time watching reels or calling family members. “We questioned her about the missing items, but she ignored us, so we alerted the police. They need to teach her a lesson to prevent future incidents,” the homeowner added. The stolen goods included diamond and kundan jewellery, a luxury watch, sunglasses and Rs 2 lakh in cash.
Social media presence
In another incident, a domestic worker from Kandivli stole luxury jewellery, designer clothes from Dubai and Singapore and an Apple watch. She posted reels on Instagram and other platforms featuring the stolen items. Upon investigation, she admitted to stealing the goods to maintain the imsage that she was living lavishly on social media and even helped her boyfriend buy a motorcycle with the stolen money.
Dr Sagar Mundada, psychiatrist
A similar case in Malad involved Sunita Piplode, a 23-year-old domestic worker from Dombivli. She was hired for cooking and cleaning but stole jewellery from her employer. The theft was uncovered when the employer noticed the same jewellery in her sister’s WhatsApp status. Unable to reach Piplode, the employer reported the case to the Malad police.
In Delhi, a domestic worker named Neetu Yadav was arrested for stealing gold ornaments to buy a DSLR camera to create high-quality videos for Instagram and YouTube. She confessed to the theft, hoping the camera would help her gain social media fame. In Bangalore, Renuka, another domestic worker, was caught after uploading a selfie wearing a necklace she had stolen months earlier. The police recovered the necklace, along with a gold chain, from the accused.
Not black and white
However, not all cases are straightforward. High court advocate Sunil Pandey told mid-day, “In many cases, domestic workers are falsely accused by employers to avoid paying their salaries. I handled a case where an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) couple falsely implicated their domestic worker, holding her hostage and refusing to pay her. Sadly, there’s no law to protect domestic workers from such harassment and mental torture.”
The advocate added, “There were no independent witnesses, and the evidence presented was from the complainant’s side. Domestic workers are the backbone of many families, but their vulnerable position makes them easy targets for influential people.”
An official from the Bookmybai agency commented, “We verify domestic workers before hiring them. If anyone is caught stealing, they are blacklisted and never hired again.” It should be noted that none of the accused were hired from the aforementioned agency.
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