In a data tabled before the Legislative Assembly, the state Home department has mentioned of the total 452 crimes committed in Goa against tourists since 2009 till date, 312 were related to theft, burglaries and dacoities.
Incidentally, British travel advisory updated two months ago identified Goan beach villages of Calangute and Candolim as hubs of theft and bag-snatching gangs.
"Travellers staying in hotels on smaller roads in Candolim-Calangute belt are advised to be particularly careful when walking to or from the main road as there have been reports of bag snatching taking place on these stretches since the beginning of 2012," the advisory had said.
In 2009, 94 cases of crime committed against tourists were registered, of which 61 were of theft, robbery and dacoity. In 2010, of the 163 cases registered against visitors, 120 were of similar nature. The trend continued in 2011 when out of 129 cases, 94 were of similar crimes, the report said.
For the current year, 66 cases related to tourists are reported of which 37 are of theft, robbery and dacoity, it said.
The records mentioned majority of the cases were closed as the culprits could not be identified and the complainants have left for their native places.
Police record also indicates that several foreign visitors were being robbed in their hotel rooms. Majority of these cases are reported from the beach belt.
