A 22-year-old chef working at a five-star hotel in Delhi has been arrested for allegedly carrying out a burglary using a master key, police said as per a report by Times of India. Nilesh, who worked as a South Indian food chef in Dwarka, is accused of stealing Rs 3.5 lakh in cash and valuables, including gold and silver jewellery, from a house in Ambedkar Basti in RK Puram Sector 1. The theft took place on February 15 when the family was away attending a wedding in Rajasthan.
CCTV Trail Exposes Double Life
According to police, Nilesh left his workplace during early morning hours and targeted the house he knew was unoccupied. There were no signs of forced entry, raising suspicion.
“Footage from a CCTV camera in the area showed a man lingering at the gate, briefly struggling before unlocking it, entering, and exiting after 30 minutes with stolen valuables,” said DCP (southwest) Amit Goel as per TOI.
Investigators tracked the suspect’s movements through CCTV footage, which showed him fleeing on a scooter with his face covered using a shawl. The trail led police to the hotel in Dwarka where Nilesh worked.
Initially, he denied involvement, claiming he was occupied with his night shift. However, police confronted him with evidence, including financial transactions and CCTV visuals showing him wearing the same shawl that had been reported stolen.
Nilesh was arrested on Wednesday. Police said he was familiar with the complainant’s family and knew they would be away, which helped him plan the burglary between 2 am and 3 am.
