MARGAO
Even as Salcete police have increased nakabandi and patrolling in various villages including Margao town, auto and two-wheeler thefts have continued to rise in the town. Salcete police are trying to identify the ‘hotspots’ where vehicle thefts in the town and other places in Salcete take place.
Police say that they are making constant efforts to curb such incidents, but also feel that owners should take due precautions to protect their vehicles from thefts.
As per police yearly records, in the last three years auto thefts have seen a gradual rise while detection of such cases have declined to a great extent.
According to information available, in 2016, in all, 83 auto thefts were reported in South Goa of which 30 have been detected. Highest number of 41 auto thefts was reported in Margao and four have been detected.
Seven auto thefts were reported in Ponda and two were detected while six each were reported in Maina Curtorim and Cuncolim and two were detected by Maina Curtorim police and five by Cuncolim police. Five cases of auto thefts were reported in Colva and none of the cases was detected. Further, five cases of auto thefts were reported each at Vasco and Verna of which Vasco police detected three and Verna one. Three auto thefts took place in Quepem, two in Canacona, three at Curchorem and one at Mormugao.
In the year 2015 till the month of August, in all, 63 cases of auto thefts were reported and 33 were detected. Margao police station registered highest number of 33 cases and detected only 15 of them. Thirteen cases of auto thefts were reported at Vasco and nine were detected. Other cases were reported at Curchorem, Maina Curtorim, Colva, Cuncolim etc.
In 2014, in all, 81 auto thefts were reported in Salcete villages of which 26 have been detected. Margao, being the commercial centre, saw highest number of 53 auto thefts reported from the town and only 18 were detected. In the jurisdiction of Colva police station, 18 auto thefts were reported and seven were detected.
While in the year 2013, in Salcete, 85 auto thefts were reported and 18 were detected of which 61 were reported in Margao, 13 in Colva jurisdiction, nine in Maina Curtorim police jurisdiction and two in Cuncolim. It is pertinent to note that of 61 auto thefts in Margao, Margao police detected only 11 cases.
As compared to this in the year 2012, in Salcete, a total number of 87 auto thefts were reported of which 27 were detected. Margao police registered as many as 66 cases of auto thefts and detected only 19 of them while Maina Curtorim police registered 15 of them and detected seven only. Colva police registered five cases while Cuncolim police registered one case.
A senior police officer said that citizens should take basic precautions while parking their two-wheelers and help police in curbing the thefts. NT
He said that in the past few months the police have been conducting surprise nakabandis at different places in Salcete.
The arrangements were made in the wake of the rise in auto thefts. He said that patrolling around bus stand spots, parking areas and other places having commercial establishments has been increased and that police teams check documents of suspicious vehicles.
The police also conduct cross-verification to check if the vehicle is stolen or the number plate and chassis are tampered with.
According to a police officer from South Goa, most thefts of two-wheelers have occurred in public places and unauthorised parking spots; hence, the owners should park their vehicles at proper spots.