Indian expats in Eindhoven have become afraid of thieves hunting for their gold. It is part of Indian culture to have gold jewelry and it is often kept at home. Last month, thieves struck Sharan (47) from Eindhoven in his home. “They stole 20,000 to 25,000 euros worth of gold.” According to a spokesperson for the Indian community, ten Indian families in Eindhoven have already been robbed of their gold in recent years.
Saturday evening, November 4, Sharan and Shilpa from India will never be forgotten. After an evening of dinner with friends, the couple comes home. Everything has been turned upside down. Cupboard doors are open downstairs. Sharan’s two laptops are still there. They rush upstairs to the wardrobe in their bedroom. That’s where the gold is hidden. There are clothes everywhere on the floor. The cupboard doors are also open here. The gold is gone. “We were in complete shock,” says Sharan, “and we got scared.”
Gold has great significance in India. “Almost every family in India has gold.” The gold jewelry is used in wedding ceremonies and important Indian festivals. The gold is also kept in reserve for when difficult times arise.
There was now an extra amount of gold in his house. “When a family goes on holiday to India for five or six weeks, you save the gold for each other. One of my neighbors temporarily gave his gold to me. My mother-in-law had brought gold for her daughter and it was also here. Just in that one That’s why there was a lot of gold here last month. I didn’t really notice that.”
So for the most part it’s not even its own gold. “We took very little with us when we moved to the Netherlands.” That’s why Sharan didn’t have a safe at home, something he says is often the case in India.
“Almost every family in India has gold.”
The police arrived quickly after the theft. The perpetrator most likely entered through the bathroom window. No traces of burglary were found, no blood or other DNA traces. The police took photos and investigated the area for a few more days. It yielded nothing.
Sharan received camera images from someone in the neighborhood, but there was nothing striking. “I think the thieves noticed me. I have heard many stories about Indian families’ homes being targeted. They also visited a house nearby.”
The theft made a big impression. “We were completely devastated because it was also my friend’s gold. They trusted us.” Family in India are now disappointed by the theft, Sharan says. “How can this happen in the Netherlands? They got scared.”
Sharan has been sleeping on the couch downstairs since the burglary. “Someone has been in my private environment. You feel angry, disappointed and frustrated. My wife no longer dares to be home alone when it is dark. We jump up at the slightest sound. We are going to buy surveillance cameras.”
“For example, there was a necklace that was almost 200 years old.”
The insurance will not pay out anything for the time being. His friend’s home insurance cannot pay out because the gold was not in his own house. For the gold that Sharan himself had, he must be able to provide proof, such as purchase receipts. “I mainly have photos. That is not enough. For example, there was a necklace that was almost 200 years old. It has been in the family for four generations. It is very precious to us.”
According to a spokesperson for the Indian community in Eindhoven, gold is regularly stolen from Indian families. “It happens every six months. This year it has already been hit three times.” It creates fear among Indian people. “They wonder if it is really safe to keep gold in their home. Many Indian expats have installed a video doorbell. They want to keep an eye on their house.”
Sharan explains why he is now telling his story: “I want to show what it does to the victims. How it affects so many people. I also want to warn others. It has now happened to me. Many friends of mine now have a safe and surveillance cameras taken.”