The Marine Drive Police have arrested a 44-year-old domestic worker from Kalyan, Thane, for allegedly stealing a large quantity of gold, silver, and diamond jewellery from a high-rise residence in south Mumbai. The accused, identified as Archana Sunil Salvi, was taken into custody after investigators recovered valuables running into several crores of rupees.
In a press conference held at the Marine Drive Police Station on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Praveen Munde briefed the media about the theft, recovery, and the ongoing investigation.
According to the Marine Drive Police, the theft took place between August 27 and September 26. Valuables kept in the master bedroom locker of the complainant’s residence went missing during this period. Police said jewellery weighing approximately 9,288 grams—including gold, silver, and diamonds—with an estimated value of over Rs 3 crore was seized during the probe.
The accused had reportedly gained the trust of the family over several months and used her access to systematically remove the ornaments from the locker. The missing valuables were discovered when the complainant checked the locker and found items worth Rs 3.16 crore unaccounted for, prompting a police complaint.
Marine Drive Police officers, including Senior Inspector Nilesh Bagul, initiated an investigation during which they reviewed Salvi’s movements and financial activities.
Police said she allegedly transported the stolen jewellery to her hometown and had previously travelled to Dubai, raising suspicion among investigators.
During the search following her arrest, the police recovered the stolen gold, silver, and diamond jewellery. The total value of the seized property has been reported as approximately Rs 9.29 crore, and authorities are now investigating whether the remaining jewellery is linked to other thefts and whether any of it had been sold. Further inquiries are underway to determine if Salvi had been involved in similar thefts elsewhere.
A team comprising officers from the Marine Drive Police Station, crime detection teams, and senior supervisory officers executed the operation. Following her arrest, Salvi was produced in court on December 5, where she was remanded in police custody until Wednesday.
