Woman posing as doctor arrested for jewellery theft at AIIMS hostel

A 43-year-old woman has been arrested for impersonating a doctor and stealing jewellery from hostel rooms at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi Police said on Friday.

The accused, a resident of Ghaziabad, holds a diploma in medical laboratory technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Science. She had previously worked as a lab assistant at a private hospital. She was apprehended on Thursday.

According to police, the woman wore a doctor’s coat to blend in on the AIIMS campus and took advantage of lax security to enter hostel rooms, many of which were left unlocked.

“She used a doctor’s coat to move freely around the AIIMS premises without raising suspicion and specifically targeted hostel rooms with unlocked doors,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), Ankit Chauhan, in a statement.

A case was registered by Hauz Khas police under Section 305 (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on 27 March, following a complaint by a doctor. The complainant reported the theft of two gold chains, a gold bracelet, a gold ring, a pair of gold earrings, Rs 20,000 in cash, and 700 Malaysian Ringgit from their hostel room.

Police reviewed footage from approximately 100 CCTV cameras across the campus and observed a woman in a doctor’s coat attempting to access various hostel rooms during odd hours. Technical surveillance later led them to identify the scooter used by the suspect.

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Based on the vehicle’s registration details, police raided her residence in Brij Vihar, Ghaziabad, and arrested her. Officers recovered the stolen jewellery, Rs 4,500 in cash, 522 Malaysian Ringgit, and the scooter.

During interrogation, the woman reportedly confessed to having a fascination with wearing expensive jewellery and admitted to committing similar thefts in the past, the DCP added.

(With inputs from PTI)