PANAJI
In recent years, Goa has seen a surge in high-stakes thefts and robberies, worrying both residents and law enforcement.
From meticulously planned mansion heists and jewellery store break-ins to audacious café burglaries and even fatal street robberies, these incidents highlight the boldness and resourcefulness of criminal networks operating in the State. They have also fuelled debate over the role of migrants and non-locals in such crimes, if not all.
---
Case 1: Gold stolen from Margao apartment
Gold ornaments worth Rs 1.9 lakh were stolen from the apartment of Mrigkesh Dave at Aquem Alto, Margao, on February 26. The burglars reportedly broke open the main door lock around 6 pm while the family was away visiting relatives. On returning home around 5 pm, they found the gate open and a bag containing two gold chains, a mangalsutra, four bangles, ten rings, two gold biscuits and a baby’s bangle missing.
Status: No arrests have been made, and the stolen property remains unrecovered. The case is being finalised pending the identification of the accused and recovery of the loot.
---
Case 2: Thieves hit five Panaji shops, 3 held
Thieves broke into five shops in Panaji, including two wholesale liquor outlets, in the early hours of April 10. The crime occurred in the lane between Jesuit House and Café Tato, and along Jose Falcao Road near Panaji Church.
Cash and valuables worth over Rs 1.5 lakh were stolen, including Rs 5,000 from Casa Barreto, Rs 1.5 lakh from Mansur Enterprises, Rs 3,000 and a phone from Aradhya Wine Store, and Rs 11,000 from W for Woman.
Status: Panaji police tracked the suspects via CCTV and intelligence leads to Kolhapur, where three people — Mustakeen Dasna, Mohammad Hamed Musahid alias Gabaru, and Mohammad Chote, all from Uttar Pradesh — were arrested with the assistance of local police.
---
Case 3: Armed robbers loot industrialist couple
In the early hours of April 20, four to five armed assailants broke into the bungalow of industrialists Jaiprakash and Padmini Dempo, tied up the couple and the security guard, and fled with jewellery and cash worth several lakhs. The unidentified robbers disabled the CCTV system and removed its DVR in what appeared to be a meticulously planned operation. The couple was rescued the next morning by the domestic staff. Panaji police and the Crime Branch launched parallel investigations.
Status: With most routes being blind spots, and despite forensic analysis suggesting an inter-state gang, no arrests have been made.
---
Case 4: Sao Tome hit by spate of burglaries
In December 2024, a string of thefts rattled Panaji’s heritage quarter of Sao Tome, where four cafés and a bar were burgled in a single night. The incidents have left residents anxious and questioning lapses.
Venite Restaurant, Ashok Bar, Larder and Folk Café, and Dakshin Tiffin were targeted by the unknown accused, with cash and valuables worth several thousand rupees stolen. A residential gate was also damaged, indicating an attempted break-in.
CCTV footage captured a masked suspect moving through the narrow lanes, prompting police to launch a search based on the visuals.
Status: Police remain clueless about the thieves; no breakthrough yet.
---
Case 5: Rajasthani gang held for Mapusa burglary
In September 2024, a high-value burglary at Nasnodkar Jewellers in the Mapusa Municipal Market sent shockwaves through the town. On the night of September 23, thieves broke into the jewellery store through the air-conditioning ducts and escaped with 12 kg of silver and 1 kg of gold, valued at several crores. The precision and planning of the heist pointed to the work of a professional gang.
Status: An inter-state gang of four Rajasthani natives, identified as Harji Chauhan (26) and Bhavani Singh (18), both from Ajmer, along with two minors, was arrested. Police revealed the gang had attempted a failed break-in days earlier. A breakthrough came when CCTV footage from the market matched patrol photographs showing two suspects loitering near the premises the previous night. Mapusa Police intercepted the gang aboard the Netravati Express in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, as they were heading back to Ajmer. All stolen jewellery was recovered.
---
Case 6: The Baga beach murder – Robbery turns fatal
A robbery at Baga beach in August 2024 ended in tragedy when 20-year-old Harish Tanwar, a Delhi resident, was killed after resisting three men attempting to snatch his bag. Tanwar, reportedly seated alone, was fatally stabbed, and his body was found the following morning. Tanwar, who had been living in Goa for several years, worked as a tailor in Parra.
Status: Calangute police arrested Sahil Kumar from Uttarakhand, Noor Khan from Uttar Pradesh, and Sunil Vishwakarma from Nepal. The trio, identified as small-time thieves active in the area, confessed to the crime and were charged with murder and robbery. Investigations revealed their involvement in previous petty thefts. Chargesheets have been filed, and the trial is ongoing.
---
Case 7: ‘I Love You’ burglary in Margao a mystery
In May 2022, a bizarre burglary in Margao baffled both residents and police after thieves fled with valuables worth over Rs 20 lakh but left behind a message reading “I love you” on the house owner’s television screen.
The incident occurred when businessman Asib Xec returned from a two-day holiday to find his bungalow ransacked. The burglars broke into the house and escaped with gold, silver ornaments, and Rs 1.5 lakh in cash. The cryptic message was scrawled in marker across the TV screen.
Status: Despite several months of investigation, the case remains unsolved, with police citing a lack of forensic evidence.
