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Watch out
 Recently, in a house burglary case in T. Nagar, Chennai, 200 sovereigns of jewels were reported to have been burgled. Later, police investigation revealed that the servant maid of the house, Selvi Rupa, had opened the balcony door for her criminal accomplices to enter the house and decamp with the valuables.
Such servant-related crimes are not a recent phenomenon. Police records reveal that there have been plenty of cases in which servants or drivers were involved in criminal activities in the very house where they were employed or give valuable tips about the house to other criminals. Several cases of murders for gain were also traced to these domestic employees. How to deal with such crimes, and more importantly how to prevent their occurrence is a million-dollar question.
The Chennai City Police Commissioner, K Vijay Kumar has suggested that the residents should approach local police stations to verify the
antecedents of these domestic employees before they are considered for appointment. This suggestion may be found useful only in limited cases, where the persons give a false residential address.
Moreover, it is doubtful whether the policeman can perform this duty effectively, saddled he is with any number of duties to perform. While verifying the antecedents, the police would have to verify whether these domestic servants have a criminal record. But experience has shown that many of these domestic employees, with the exception of a few, were first-time offenders and did not have any previous criminal record. Even in the T. Nagar house burglary case, the servant maid Rupa who helped her criminal associates in carrying out the crime, was only a fresher and did not have any previous criminal record. Under these circustances, it cannot be guaranteed that mere police verification of the antecedents of domestic employees, before their appointment, would help the residents in containing crime.
A piquant situation could also arise where such a move would be counter-productive in some cases. Ex- convicts, who would obviously have a criminal record, would be barred from taking up employment and lead a reformed life, on the mere ground that they had a bad past. An ex-convict, who has changed and wants to remain straight, could be affected.
Disqualifying all those who have had criminal antecedents would shut the door permanently on their reformation and rehabilitation and would only force them to go back to the path of the criminal trade.
What will have a salutary effect is the suggestion of the Police commissioner that the address of the employee and details of the persons who recommended the employee should be provided to the police and that the police would issue such employees identity cards. Taking the finger prints of these employees and keeping the records in the police station would also be useful as it would have a deterring effect. Employees woud be aware that their records were available with the police and they could be caught easily in the event they took to crime or aided it. Therefore, they would not succumb to temptation in most cases.
 But the real remedy to contain such crime lies in the hands of the residents. They should always maintain a distance from these domestic employees. The family details should never be discussed and made known to the employees.
They should not be allowed access to the sensitive parts of the house, particularly where the cash and jewels are kept. Programmes regarding tours and travel should never be made known to them. Drivers should not be allowed to take children and young women on their own. It is always better that other members of the house accompany them. Various cases have been reported, during the past, in which drivers were involved in kidnapping of children and women and demands made for ransom.
Hence, it is basically up to the people to be vigilant and careful while engaging employees and not totally depend on the police to prevent such crimes. A stitch in time saves nine.
Harvey
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