Margao/Mapusa/Canacona: Three house thefts reported across South and North Goa in recent days have resulted in gold ornaments and cash worth more than Rs 32 lakh being stolen, with one case leading to the arrest of a man and a juvenile.In the latest incident, unidentified persons broke into a locked house at Bamanbhati, Arambol, on the night of Sep 16 and stole cash and gold ornaments worth about Rs 12 lakh. The burglary took place between 8pm and 11pm while house owner Krishna Naik and his family were away.Naik returned around 11pm to find the main door forced open and the house ransacked. The family later found Rs 2 lakh in cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh, including mangalsutras, bangles, rings, gold chains and a watch strap, missing.A complaint was lodged at Mandrem police station. Residents have expressed concern over the incident, saying a similar burglary at Arambol six months ago remains unsolved despite the availability of video evidence.In Cuncolim, thieves broke into a locked house at Demani and escaped with gold ornaments and other valuables worth Rs 19 lakh. Police said complainant Firdoz Begum had locked her house and left for Margao on Tuesday. Taking advantage of her absence, the thieves cut through an iron window grill and entered the house.The burglary has caused concern in the densely populated locality, with residents demanding increased night patrolling and stronger preventive measures. Cuncolim police are scanning CCTV footage to identify the culprits. Cuncolim PI Diago Gracias said further investigation was under way.Meanwhile, Quepem police arrested Ambaulim resident Aryan Mane and apprehended a juvenile in connection with a house theft in Quepem involving cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 1.8 lakh.The theft occurred before 6pm on Sept 10 at a rented premises while complainant Sangeeta Devi Paswan was away. According to the complaint, the accused used a key left on the window parapet to unlock the front door and stole Rs 50,000 from a suitcase along with gold jewellery, including a mangalsutra.Police said the investigation led to Mane and the juvenile. Mane allegedly committed the theft and disposed of the stolen property. Police recovered the stolen mangalsutra and some cash. The juvenile was sent to Merces Apna Ghar after due procedure.Mane was produced before JMFC Quepem, who remanded him in five days police custody. PSI Digamber Bondre is investigating under the supervision of PI Prashal Desai.
