Children's home official held for burglary racket

Panaji, April 1 (IANS) Police in Goa have exposed a nexus between a caretaker of a state-run children's remand home and delinquents by cracking a burglary and theft racket. The caretaker has been arrested.

Superintendent of Police Vijay Singh said that Videsh Mandrekar, who was a caretaker at the children's home at Merces, on the outskirts of Panaji, would let inmates slip out of the institution, commit crimes and slip back into the centre.

"He would let juveniles placed in home's custody slip out commit crimes and allow them back in. The stolen goods he would sell for a price and give the children a cut," Singh said.

Singh said that the arrest of five minor children in a spate of thefts in Panaji and near the capital had helped police bust the racket.

"Four two-wheeler vehicles, two laptops and cash running in several thousands of rupees have been confiscated by police," Singh said. One of the stolen cars was found in the precincts of the children's home.