A woman named Farida from Kuppepadavu near Edapadavu has been arrested for allegedly defrauding jewellery stores in Shirva and uncovering a spree of similar crimes across Mangaluru and nearby towns.
Police investigations revealed that Farida operated under multiple aliases, targeting shops in Bajpe, Moodbidri, and Kavoor. Her method involved forging documents, issuing fake cheques, and using counterfeit payment slips to acquire gold ornaments without payment.
Her fraudulent activities span several years:
In Moodbidri, she defrauded another store of gold valued at Rs30 lakh.
Police recovered jewellery worth Rs12 lakh linked to both cases.
A recent scam in Kavoor involved Farida posing as a customer arranging a baby naming ceremony. She placed an order via WhatsApp, sent a forged payment slip of Rs1.36 lakh, and had an accomplice collect the jewellery. When payment failed to arrive, the store owner filed a complaint.
Authorities suspect her husband, father, brother, and aunt were accomplices. Farida reportedly used rented luxury cars to boost her credibility.
All cases have been consolidated under the CEN police station, charge sheets filed, and trials underway. Police have advised local businesses to exercise caution.
