Two incidents of snatching of mangalsutra were reported in the State on Sunday, one at Mapusa and the other at Curti Ponda. Such incidents by bike-borne thieves have been taking place at a disturbing frequency in Goa even in broad daylight. There appears to be a gang of chain-snatchers operating in the State. The modus operandi in majority of the cases is that these bike-borne thieves engage the women in a dialogue while keeping the engine of the vehicle on.
Many-a-times the thieves ask the women for direction to a particular destination. The pillion rider all of a sudden snatches the chain from the woman as the rider zooms away and in the process the woman is even flung on the ground.
As a result of this the lady has very little time to react, leave alone noting down the registration number of the two-wheeler. In order to prevent such incidents it would be advisable for women to avoid talking to strangers riding a bike, especially if there is a pillion rider.
Women need to be on the alert to thieves-on-wheels in order to prevent such thefts.
