PANAJI
Exactly one year after the Calangute police swooped down on an inter-state gang involved in stealing high-end mobile phones from partygoers in the coastal belt, the Anjuna police have now apprehended seven persons, who arrived in Goa three days ago, with the same nefarious intentions. Incidentally, both gangs are from Maharashtra.
Addressing a press conference at Anjuna police station on Saturday, Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Nidhin Valsan stated that the sleuths arrested seven thieves and recovered 29 high-end mobile phones worth Rs 25 lakhs from their possession. More arrests are likely and an investigation is underway to also ascertain their criminal history in Goa, Maharashtra, or other states.
“These accused came to Goa three days ago with the sole intention of targeting tourists at Sunburn and other party venues, as well as crowded places during the peak tourist season. Their modus operandi was to sneak into such crowded places, clandestinely steal the mobile phones from their targets and pass it on to their accomplices. By the time the victims realized their phones were missing, the accused would disappear from there,” Valsan said.
Claiming to have taken preventive steps well in advance, the SP said the accused hired rent-a-bikes to move around different beaches. “We received around 50 complaints of which 29 phones were recovered. More recoveries will happen…Our teams are on the job,” he added, as he briefed the media in presence of DySP Jivba Dalvi and PI Prashal Dessai.
As many as 1,200 policemen are posted on the coastal belt this peak season to maintain law and order, and another 800-odd traffic staff to manage a huge flow of vehicular traffic given that several thousand tourists are arriving Goa daily since past few days.
Calangute police had busted a similar gang last year, arresting 12 persons and recovering 41 phones which were valued at Rs 30 lakh approx. They too arrived 2-3 days prior to the party season and were also found in possession of a small quantity of MDMA.
