Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (MS)

Beltangady, Nov 4: Thieves had a field time in areas of town, Laila and Somanthadka and broke into seven shops. However, to their utter disgust, they could not lay their hands on any valuables and stole cheap items.

From a wine shop at Santhekatte in the town, the thieves took two bottles of liquor. The thieves entered into a shop selling farming equipment, which is located in the same building as that of the wine shop but ran away as the owner of the shop got up from sleep and started to scream.

The hapless thieves took some packets of cigarettes from a grocery store at Laila. They also tried to steal things from a mobile shop, a dry fish selling shop and two grocery stores, which are located at the bend of Kajoor road at Somanthadka of Mundaje village.

One of the shops thieves broke into

Around eight months ago, similar serial theft was reported in the wine shop and grocery stores at Laila. It is suspected that both these are done by the same gang of professional thieves. Though the shops are fitted with CCTV, the identity of the thieves could not be made out as they wore monkey cap on their face.

Though the incidents of daylight robbery in the guise of customers and breaking into shops in the night is increasing in and around the town, the shop owners are not bringing this to the notice of the police. This lacklustre attitude of the shop owners seems to be a blessing in disguise for the thieves and they are making good use of it by attempting theft repeatedly at same areas.

Abdul Razak, owner of the grocery store at Somanthadka has filed a complaint with regards to the theft that has taken place at his shop as well as the nearby shops with the Dharmasthala police station. He has complained that an amount of Rs 3,000 and two bundles of cigarettes are stolen from his shop.

Dharmasthala police have registered a case and are investigating.