TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: A gang of young burglars, who broke into shops by bending shutters and fled with expensive valuables, are finally in the police net as five persons were arrested from Quepem today.
While the sixth member of the gang is absconding, five youngsters ~ Dipesh Kerkar (22), Pramod Madgi (18), Chaman Ali (25), all residents of Quepem, Mauvin Fernandes (20) from Margao and Godwin Fernandes (23) from St Cruz were picked up from rented premises in Quepem during a joint raid by Panjim and Quepem police.
Police have confirmed their involvement in a Panjim shop theft case wherein Dnyaneshwar Datta Chodankar had complained that burglars decamped with electronic items and cash all worth Rs 94,000, approximately on the intervening night of June 26 and 27. The CCTV cameras had captured the theft, which gave vital clues to police.
“We had located mobile number of Chaman and the location was traced at Quepem where he was staying with his wife in a rented place. He was the first arrest we made,” a police officer said.
During interrogation, Chaman disclosed names of his other members who lived together in another room they rented out at Quepem as well. They were subsequently arrested. “All were brought to Panjim. They will be probed for other theft cases,” he said.
This is not the first offence the youth have committed as Mauvin and Godwin were arrested for thefts while they were juveniles, and interestingly Dipesh’s brother Dinesh is allegedly a part of notorious gangster Michael Fernandes’ gang. Dipesh and Dinesh’s sister is married to Chaman, police said.
