After Sanquelim market theft, police tell vendors to be alert

Bicholim: After an incident of jewellery theft from a woman vendor at Sanquelim market, Bicholim police started an awareness drive for the vendors of Sanquelim and Bicholim markets.Bicholim police said two unidentified accused, wearing a facemask, made a purchase from a flower vendor and then engaged her in a conversation about starting a new flower business at the Saptashati Mandap next to the market. At their request, the woman followed them into the precincts of Saptashati mandap.“The accused then placed a garland in front of the deity and told Gawas to place her gold ornaments in front of the goddess to get good results. The woman kept her chain and bangles. After the prayer, she questioned the men about her jewellery, to which they said they had kept it in her bag. By the time the woman looked for the jewellery in her bag, the two men had fled from the site,” said police.She then raised an alarm and tried to search for them with the help of other vendors. When they could not find them, she filed a police complaint at the Sanquelim police outpost. Police tried to trace the culprits with the help of CCTV footage but did not succeed.