Team Goemkarponn
Pernem: Pernem police have busted a serial day-burglary racket with the arrest of two habitual offenders and the recovery of stolen property worth approximately ₹53.68 lakh, including gold ornaments, laptops and other valuables.
The case relates to Pernem Police Station Crime No. 57/2025 registered on August 12, 2025, under Sections 305 and 331(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following a complaint by Anil Kambli of Zorulem Khailo Vaddo, Tuem, Pernem. The complainant had reported that unknown persons broke open the lock of his house between 8 am and 12 noon and decamped with gold ornaments and cash, with the gold alone valued at around ₹8 lakh.
Acting on reliable inputs and technical surveillance, a team led by PI Nitin Halarnkar arrested Rohan Mahadev Padwal (29) of Varpe Waddo, Pernem, and Jagannath alias Ketan Sanjay Bagkar (20) of Ramnagar, Colvale, Bardez, on December 26, 2025. During interrogation, police revealed that the duo are professional burglars involved in a series of day house-breaking cases across Pernem, Dhargal, Virnoda, Tuem and Korgao since December 2024.
Police linked the accused to multiple offences registered at Pernem police station, including Crime Nos. 06/2025, 47/2025, 57/2025, 62/2025, 75/2025 and 81/2024, all under Sections 305 and 331(3) of BNS, besides several similar cases.
During the investigation, police attached a DEWALT grinder cutter machine, two scooters—a Yamaha Fascino and a Honda Activa—and three mobile phones allegedly used in the commission of the crimes. On December 27, stolen gold ornaments weighing 151.3 grams and valued at about ₹21.48 lakh were recovered from Muthoot Finance branches at Pernem and Dhargal at the instance of the accused.
Further recoveries followed on December 28, when police seized two laptops and additional gold and silver ornaments worth approximately ₹18 lakh from the residence of accused Rohan Padwal. On December 29, more stolen gold ornaments weighing about 100 grams and valued at around ₹14.20 lakh were recovered from a bank and goldsmiths in Colvale, Panaji and Mapusa.
The accused were produced before the JMFC, Pernem, and remanded to seven days of police custody. Further investigation is being carried out by PSI Praveen Simpurshekar under the supervision of senior police officers.
