Kusum Chavan, a resident of Ubo Dando, Santa Cruz, has alleged that the Old Goa police failed to act swiftly after her home was robbed in broad day light, allowing the thief to escape despite being cap tured on CCTV. Speaking to O Heraldo, Chavan said the break-in took place on November 14 at around 11.30 am, when she had stepped out briefly to pick up her son from school. “In just 20 minutes, the thief broke the lock, en tered the house and fled with Rs 15 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh,” she said. Among the stolen items was her mangalsutra val ued at Rs 4 lakh. “The cash was given to me by my husband to pur chase raw material,” she added. She said that the police delayed investigations. According to her the thief was captured in CCTV proceeding on a two-wheeler at Porvorim highway. But till 6 pm the police did not act. “If police had acted fast they would have arrested the accused. But it did not happen. I am worried,” she said. She further alleged that each time she visited the Old Goa police station to inquire about the progress of the case, of ficers told her only that ‘teams had been deployed’. “Most of the time, I see them busy on their mobile phones. One day, when I said I would approach the media, a policeman asked whether the media would help catch the thief. An other even asked if I had informed them beforehand that I was keeping cash in the house,” she recounted. Kusum said that the thief first tried to enter the neigh bour’s house but he did not find anything there.
