Employee accused of stealing Rs 12 lakh worth of goods from store

An employee is accused of stealing Rs 12 lakh worth of goods from a wholesale grocery store in northeastern Bengaluru.

Kareem, a delivery boy at 'A Traders', a wholesale grocery store in Muneshwaranagar, Shampur Main Road, is absconding after allegedly stealing large quantities of water bottles, biscuits, soft drinks and other goods from the shop two weeks ago.

DJ Halli police are looking out for him after the store owner, Shafi Ahmed N A, filed a complaint.

Police said Kareem had stolen goods from the shop at least twice earlier. On both occasions, Ahmed forgave him on his family's request.

Kareem had been working at the store for the past six years. His job was to deliver goods to retail stores and sometimes load or unload them in the warehouse.

Two years ago, he was caught stealing the goods. Ahmed sacked him but Kareem's wife and his brother requested him to forgive him, saying he was the sole breadwinner of the family. A few months later, Ahmed discovered again that Kareem was delivering goods to unauthorised shops. He gave him another chance on his wife's request.

Ahmed was, however, shocked when he discovered a third theft on July 4. He found that large quantities of goods worth Rs 12 lakh were missing. Kareem denied stealing them and ran away from the store.

CCTV footage later showed that it was indeed Kareem who was behind the theft, according to Ahmed's police complaint.

A police officer said a case of servant theft had been registered and that efforts were underway to arrest Kareem.