The Hyderabad City Police have urged residents to make police verification of domestic workers mandatory before hiring them, after recording 565 theft cases involving domestic help across the city over the past two years.
According to the police, the cases included 65 grave offences and 500 non-grave offences. Officials said a majority of these incidents occurred because employers hired domestic workers without conducting proper background checks or obtaining police verification.
A zone-wise analysis showed that Jubilee Hills reported the highest number of servant theft cases at 173, followed by Secunderabad (88), Khairatabad (77), Golconda (70), Rajendranagar (63), Shamshabad (49) and Charminar (45).
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar said IT professionals, students living alone, senior citizens and business establishments had emerged as the most vulnerable targets. He said offenders often gained the confidence of employers over time, studied their daily routines, identified where valuables and keys were kept, and exploited CCTV blind spots before committing thefts.
In some recent instances, organised gangs from other states and even abroad entered the city posing as domestic workers before carrying out thefts, the police said.
Advising residents to exercise caution, the police said employers should collect Aadhaar or other valid identity proof, recent photographs, permanent address details and contact numbers before hiring domestic workers. They also urged people to verify previous employment records, complete police verification—which is available free of cost at local police stations—and closely monitor new workers during their initial weeks of employment.
The police further advised residents not to disclose sensitive information such as travel plans or the location of valuables to domestic workers.
Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and gated communities have also been asked to maintain entry registers, issue identity cards or access passes to domestic workers, and ensure CCTV surveillance systems remain functional.
Sajjanar stressed that public participation was key to preventing such crimes.
"Criminals cannot enter without opportunity. It is the negligence of individuals that often enables crime. Proper verification and background checks must be ensured before hiring domestic help," he said.
The police urged citizens to immediately report suspicious activity, missing keys or the sudden disappearance of domestic workers by calling Dial 100 or the Hyderabad City Police WhatsApp helpline at 94906 16555.