Woman suspects maid cracked password-locked luggage and stole $3k, lodges police report

A woman, suspecting that her domestic helper had cracked the password-locked luggage and stole $3,000, lodged a police report. 

The employer, Madam Liu, 38, told Shin Min Daily News that she came to hire the 40-year-old Filipina at the recommendation of a friend. 

Said Madam Liu:

“She (the helper) started working in my home from July 2017. For the first three months, she was enthusiastic and eager to serve. 

“After that, however, she kept asking for salary advances. She told us that she needed money urgently back at home. She promised to return the money via installments.”

For convenience’s sake, Madam Liu decided to place $25,000 into a luggage bag that is password-locked. 

She added:

“I needed to pay some medical bills so I placed the money in my luggage bag.

“Later my father passed away, and I added the condolence money from the funeral to the pool.

“I specifically recorded on my phone the date and amount of money deposited so I can keep track.”

On December 25, 2017, Madam Liu opened up the luggage and found that there was $3,000 missing. 

At that time, the helper was on leave, and Madam Liu suspected that she had stolen the money. 

To ‘test’ the helper, Madam Liu called the maid agency and told them about the missing cash. 

She also said that she had reported the case to the police. 

However, her helper immediately flew into a rage and insisted that she was innocent. 

The helper also said that she wanted to quit and asked to return to her country immediately. 

Madam Li continued:

“I called the police two days after the incident, and she (the helper) was brought away. 

“However due to inconclusive evidence, the helper was sent back to the Philippines in February 2018.

“The luggage is secured by a three number lock, and I suspect that she kept trying out different combinations before finally successfully opening the luggage and taking the money.

“However I don’t have any footage of the incident.”

In response to media queries, a police spokesman confirmed that a report was lodged. 

A spokesman for the maid agency, Mr Zheng Kun Ming, told reporters that the company has done its best to help, even though they were not the ones who introduced the maid to Madam Liu in the first place.

Mr Zheng added:

“After the helper returned from the police station, we made arrangements her accommodation for two days, before she was deported back to her country.”

Through the company, Madam Liu also found another Burmese maid to replace her helper.