The daring armed robbery at a seventh-floor flat in Baina-Vasco early Tuesday morning, over a month after another such high-profile case in Ganeshpuri-Mapusa, exposes a disturbing pattern where gangs pick their targets fearlessly and get away with their crime. Barely after the Mapusa heist, where the residence of a noted surgeon in one of Mapusa’s elite surroundings was robbed, gagging inmates and with an immaculate plan, Baina became a similar target.
The Baina incident happened at around 2.30 am on Tuesday, where a gang of 7“8 intruders stormed the seventh-floor home of a businessman in Chamundi Arcade armed with iron and aluminium rods. The attackers, in their desperate pursuit of gold and cash, allegedly attacked all four inmates, including the couple, their daughter and the ailing mother, and threatened them with dire consequences.
The brother of the victim stated that the gang appears to have studied the building layout and tried to avoid the CCTV cameras. Also, all of them had their faces covered with masks and helmets. In another case, late last week, a burglar walked out of a St Cruz apartment in broad daylight, decamping with cash and jewellery worth nearly Rs 25 lakh. Apparently, the culprit had targeted two other flats in the same building.
Critical questions arise from these cases: Why do such high-calibre robberies happen with such apparent ease? Is there no fear of policing? Or is policing lacking? Why do police struggle to make significant breakthroughs, even after exuding confidence? Are we to ponder that citizens are in a helpless State, that gangs are striking with ease?
It took the police nearly six months for the first arrest to be made in the sensational Dona Paula dacoity in April 2025. The first arrest was made in late October 2025. Police were left clueless here too because the robbers effectively capitalised on the lack of CCTV coverage. There is no headway in the Ganeshpuri case despite police forming multiple teams and dispatched them to neighbouring States in a bid to track down the main culprits. The DIG sounded optimistic this time and mentioned that this case is a “challenge” to her. Such confidence rings hollow when tangible results are not presented, and a disconnect between narrative and reality erodes public trust.
These robberies, which now occur frequently, are not isolated anomalies but rather symptomatic of deeper systemic failures that threaten the public's safety and confidence. Gangs have been outsmarting enforcement with ease, and with the use of masks and recce of targeted areas, police find it difficult to probe. While we do agree that police are not expected to be omnipresent, we can’t help but feel insecure, no matter where one is placed, even if one is located on the topmost floor.
The State needs a comprehensive overhaul of policing strategies, including installing advanced surveillance infrastructure with advanced analytics, and establishing intelligence units focused on organised crime. While enough has been spoken about policing failures, very little has been discussed about people stacking huge quantities of jewellery and cash at residences, knowing well the risks involved.
The spate of robberies in Goa should be a grim reminder that when the system fails, the least one could do is to take appropriate precautionary measures. That being said, the government must wake up to the trail of robberies that is left behind and take concrete measures. Right now, there is just haze and just words.
