MONDAY, MAY 20, 2024
Karsten Miranda
MARGAO: Salcete appears to have become a target for thieves in recent months, witnessing a spate of burglaries involving the theft of cash, gold ornaments, and mobile phones from residences and workshops.
The police have said that these cases are under investigation. There have also been cases of house break-ins where various other items have been stolen.
The spate of thefts and burglaries has left the citizens of Salcete feeling increasingly unsafe and frustrated with the lack of effective action from law enforcement agencies.
According to panchayats like those based in Salcete, the influx of migrant workers is believed to have contributed significantly to the surge in crimes like thefts and burglaries, and they have urged the police to increase patrolling and complete tenant verification exercises.
According to police staff attached to one of the police stations in Salcete, the strength of personnel, even head constables, in some stations is alarmingly low, with only a few personnel working at certain locations. They alleged that due to inadequate staffing and infrastructure, the investigation of crimes, monitoring of migrant behaviour, illicit trafficking, and drug cases suffer.
Recently, the Cuncolim police registered two high-value theft cases, where gold ornaments worth over Rs 14 lakh were reported stolen. Despite seeking assistance from the dog squad, fingerprint experts, and interrogating several suspects, no arrests have been made so far.
In the first incident, a residence in Balli was burgled, resulting in the loss of gold ornaments worth approximately Rs 4.32 lakh. The second case involved the theft of cash and gold ornaments totalling around Rs 8.5 lakh, including Rs 15,000 in cash, from a house in Cuncolim. Both cases have been registered under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC against unknown individuals. Additionally, gold ornaments worth over Rs 10 lakh were stolen from a shop in Chinchinim.
Another family living in Navelim, the Vernekars, have claimed in a letter addressed to the Margao police that a robbery occurred at their house on the afternoon of March 24. In their complaint, the Vernekars stated that unidentified robbers broke into their house and made off with gold and jewellery. While the Margao police have registered the offence and the investigation is ongoing, the culprits are yet to be nabbed.
The number of chain-snatching incidents in Salcete is causing alarm among residents, particularly senior citizens who live and commute alone.
Two cases of mangalsutra snatching targeting elderly women have been reported in broad daylight this year, intensifying worries as the perpetrators remain at large. In the first incident, two unknown individuals engaged a 63-year-old woman in conversation outside her Davorlim residence, while one snatched her mangalsutra valued at Rs 1.90 lakh. Both fled the scene.
Many residents have expressed concerns about the growing audacity of the criminals, who seem to be operating with impunity.
One such person from Madel Fatorda even lamented that their house had been burgled multiple times. He alleged that, despite repeatedly falling prey to these incidents, the police have failed to file an FIR.
“We as citizens are calling for immediate action and demand increased police presence, expedited investigations, and swift prosecution of the perpetrators. A strong message needs to be sent to deter potential criminals and restore a sense of security,” said Lionel Almeida, a concerned citizen.
“The authorities need to prioritise our concerns and take concrete steps to address the root causes of these crimes, including addressing issues like inadequate staffing and infrastructure. Moreover, we need directions issued from the top brass to local police stations to focus on cracking unsolved cases at the earliest to restore that level of trust and confidence in the public,” added Reshma Dessai, another concerned citizen.
(With inputs from Shyam Zambauliker)
