24 October 2010
MUSCAT: Residents in Wadi Kabir are a worried lot now. The spate of burglaries that are being reported seems to be on the increase. Among the recent victims is a senior manager of an insurance firm, an expat who lives in a ground floor flat, two buildings away from the Indian School Wadi Kabir.
On Thursday night at around 7pm, he and his family stepped out for a round of shopping. On their return at around 9.35pm, when they tried opening the main door, they found that it was found locked from inside. The senior manager immediately realised something was wrong and went around the flat and noticed light inside.
To his horror he found the protective grill of the window removed from the sill and the sliding glass open. Below the window, outside the flat his LCD TV and accessories was kept wrapped in a cloth.
Robbers scoot
"The thieves had managed to get the TV out but perhaps, we arrived so they scooted. I immediately alerted the Royal Oman Police and the house owner," the resident of the flat explained. When the police arrived after one hour, they found a completely ransacked house.
"The cupboards were rummaged through and clothes strewn all over the house," he added. After a thorough search the family realised the thieves had decamped with gold weighing 200 to 250 grams, a camera, laptop and some cash.
RO4,000 loss
"We might have lost goods worth around RO4,000 to RO5,000," the victim said. The senior manager has been living in the same flat for the last 12 years.
"I believe this was a well planned out act by these miscreants who have been observing us for some time now," he said.
Accounts of similar cases have been reported time and again in Wadi Kabir.
Recently, a similar incident was reported from a house opposite Al Maya supermarket in Wadi Kabir.
Other cases
Using the same modus operandi they robbed the house when the residents stepped out for an outing.
"A flat of an important client of mine was also looted when he had gone to the church," says the manager.
Ironically for him he has been addressing claims from many other victims. "I have noticed a lot of cases in Ruwi and Wadi Kabir," he said.
The investigation of this particular case is on.
Meanwhile, atleast five cases of burglarising shops in Wadi Kabir have been reported. Shops selling car seats, tyre repair shops, car accessories have been targeted. The thieves didn't even spare a coffee shop. Some of them have been second time victims.
ROP has been constantly asking residents to be on the alert against burglary.
MUSCAT: Residents in Wadi Kabir are a worried lot now. The spate of burglaries that are being reported seems to be on the increase. Among the recent victims is a senior manager of an insurance firm, an expat who lives in a ground floor flat, two buildings away from the Indian School Wadi Kabir.
On Thursday night at around 7pm, he and his family stepped out for a round of shopping. On their return at around 9.35pm, when they tried opening the main door, they found that it was found locked from inside. The senior manager immediately realised something was wrong and went around the flat and noticed light inside.
To his horror he found the protective grill of the window removed from the sill and the sliding glass open. Below the window, outside the flat his LCD TV and accessories was kept wrapped in a cloth.
Robbers scoot
"The thieves had managed to get the TV out but perhaps, we arrived so they scooted. I immediately alerted the Royal Oman Police and the house owner," the resident of the flat explained. When the police arrived after one hour, they found a completely ransacked house.
"The cupboards were rummaged through and clothes strewn all over the house," he added. After a thorough search the family realised the thieves had decamped with gold weighing 200 to 250 grams, a camera, laptop and some cash.
RO4,000 loss
"We might have lost goods worth around RO4,000 to RO5,000," the victim said. The senior manager has been living in the same flat for the last 12 years.
"I believe this was a well planned out act by these miscreants who have been observing us for some time now," he said.
Accounts of similar cases have been reported time and again in Wadi Kabir.
Recently, a similar incident was reported from a house opposite Al Maya supermarket in Wadi Kabir.
Other cases
Using the same modus operandi they robbed the house when the residents stepped out for an outing.
"A flat of an important client of mine was also looted when he had gone to the church," says the manager.
Ironically for him he has been addressing claims from many other victims. "I have noticed a lot of cases in Ruwi and Wadi Kabir," he said.
The investigation of this particular case is on.
Meanwhile, atleast five cases of burglarising shops in Wadi Kabir have been reported. Shops selling car seats, tyre repair shops, car accessories have been targeted. The thieves didn't even spare a coffee shop. Some of them have been second time victims.
ROP has been constantly asking residents to be on the alert against burglary.
© Times of Oman 2010
