The grocery shop that was burgled in the wee hours at Velsao. Captured by : Vikram Nayak
VASCO
A full-fledged burglary attempt at three shops in Velsao was foiled by a fisherwoman in the wee hours of Saturday.
The burglars who had already opened three shops managed to flee with some cash, goods and documents from a grocery store.
According to the information from former Velsao panch member and social worker Roquezinho D'Souza, the incident occurred at around 4 am on Saturday.
"The burglars broke open three shops including the shop of Velsao Sports Club, a grocery store belonging to my brother, and a tailoring shop. A fisherwoman, Lucy, who was going to Margao with her husband to get fish, spotted that the shop was open and there was light inside. She called my brother Fransisco D'Souza and enquired why the shop was open so early. From my brother's response, Lucy immediately realised that the shops were being burgled and raised an alarm," D'Souza informed. "The burglars who were in the shop fled with some goods, cash that was in the shop and some documents kept by my brother."
Police were informed of the incident and did a panchnama of the site.
Expressing concern over the incident, D'Souza speculated that the burglary might be the work of outsiders, possibly migrants, given the circumstances. He pointed out that the locks were broken and doors forcibly opened, suggesting the involvement of a group rather than a lone individual.
"We have a significant migrant population in Velsao, and it's crucial that we ensure their verification as tenants. This incident underscores the need for intensified police patrolling and stricter tenant verification measures," emphasised D'Souza.
