Team Goemkarponn
PORVORIM: In a major breakthrough Porvorim Police station staff have arrested two persons
who were part of a gang which was responsible for committing house burglaries across in Goa.
Two residents, one of whom is 44 years old and a habitual offender, have been taken into custody by Porvorim Police on suspicion of being involved in a string of coordinated home invasions in North Goa.
Following a series of coordinated attempts by numerous police stations, the accused, identified as Maria Baptistao, a native of Benaulim, and his accomplice, Mohd Sufian, a 20-year-old BCom student from Navelim, were taken into custody.
Superintendent of Police (North Goa), Akshat Kaushal, said that the accused are thought to be members of a larger gang that steals houses; they are also thought to have stolen over several months in the areas under the jurisdiction of the police stations in Nagali Hills, Bambolim, Mapusa, and Siolim.
“The burglaries were committed in the early morning hours with the gang leaving little evidence behind. After reviewing many CCTV recordings, we found that the same individual—who was donning a face mask—appeared in the majority of the footage that we were sent, according to Kaushal.
To find the offenders, police units from Panaji, Porvorim, and other police stations in the North area were organized. The SP went on to say that it was discovered throughout the investigation that the gang regularly switched cars, using them each month to carry out the crimes.
“They stole things, sold the stolen items, and spent the money they made… After a period of inactivity, the principal accused has now restarted his activities. He has a lengthy criminal case history,” the officer said.
