Residents of Salcete, especially senior citizens are alarmed over the recurring chain snatching incidents across the taluka. Three days back a woman on a morning walk was targeted in Davorlim in broad daylight when her mangalsutra was snatched by a scooter rider wearing a raincoat and a helmet. It appears that there is 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. The pillion rider all of a sudden snatches the chain from the woman as the rider races the bike away and in the process even throwing the woman on the ground. If the woman senses something fishy, she should immediately raise an alarm so that the thieves are apprehended by the people around. Cracking cases of vehicular theft by the police can go a long way in preventing crimes like chain-snatching. Women need to avoid wearing flashy jewellery and walking in isolated places or have it covered with a saree or a dupatta. They should avoid wearing jewellery during morning or evening walks.
