Canacona: An attempt by a gang of burglars to burgle a jewellery shop in Canacona on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday was foiled by an alert goldsmith and the timely presence of police at the crime scene.
The incident triggered panic among citizens, as it occurred in the backdrop of three recent unsolved cases of dacoities at Dona Paula, Mapusa and Vasco.
According to the Canacona police, around 2.30 am on Tuesday, burglars attempted to gain entry into a jewellery shop located at Chaudi and owned by Pravin Vernekar, whose house is situated right next to his shop.
The burglars tied the door of Vernekar’s house from outside with the help of a rope to trap the family inside, sprayed black paint on the CCTV cameras and broke the jewellery shop lock by using two crowbars and a pickaxe.
Police said Vernekar woke up to the noise outside his house but could not step out, as the main door was tied by the burglars. He quickly contacted the police. Police personnel patrolling in the vicinity also heard the loud sound and rushed to the scene twice but did not spot anybody.
However, when Vernekar contacted, the police again visited the spot and found the burglars, who had already opened the shutter by then. Seeing the cops approaching, the burglars hurled stones at them and fled the spot.
Police said the crowbars, pickaxe and other tools used to break open the lock were found lying beside the shop. Police also found a bag containing some leftover food.
Police teams soon carried out a search for the gang at Canacona railway station, bus stand and the nearby areas and exit points. However, the burglars could not be traced.
Services of a fingerprint expert were employed on Tuesday morning, with the police further investigating into the case.
