CONMEN PREY ON M - E HOUSE MAIDS
Known to befriend the women by starting up a conversation and then end up stealing their jewellery on the pretext of marrying them
Police have uncovered a racket being perpetrated by a group of gangsters who blackmailed housemaids returning to Sri Lanka after working in the Middle East.
Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said they were known to befriend the women by starting up a conversation and then end up stealing their jewellery on the pretext of marrying them.
“They propose marriage after going to their house with two other women who are introduced as the scam bridegroom’s mother and sister.
The suspects are known to rent out luxury cars to drive around until the women fall into their well laid trap,” he said.
“Most of the women are easy prey to the crafty and unscrupulous hunters who put on a show of false wealth and pretend they can provide all the comforts,” SP Rohana said.
Police also said some of the suspects pose as car-sale owners and after a while they ask to borrow their jewellery to meet a sudden and unforeseen expense.
Police said investigations had revealed that some of these suspects had managed to cheat nearly Rs.1.2 million.
In one such incident the police arrested a youth at Sevanagala on charges of having cheated a young girl of Rs.90,000. His modus operandi had been similar to that of the others.
Investigations had revealed that several similar incidents had taken place during the past few months and the suspects involved in these crimes were connected to each other.
SSP Rohana warned the people not to fall into such traps and to inform the police in case they were accosted by such confident tricksters.