Daylight Burglary Alarms Residents as Thieves Target Teacher’s House in Odisha’s Nabarangpur

Nabarangpur, Aug. 6 (UDN): A daring daylight burglary at Umerkote in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district has heightened concerns over the rising incidence of property crimes, with residents claiming that burglars are increasingly striking during the day instead of under the cover of darkness.

The latest incident was reported from DNK Colony, where unidentified miscreants allegedly broke into the residence of a schoolteacher while she was away on duty, escaping with valuables including gold ornaments, electronic gadgets and mobile phones.

The victim, Swarnakanti Mahapatra, had left for school in the morning. Police said the burglars took advantage of the locked house, forced open the entrance and entered the premises. After ransacking the house, they broke open an almirah and fled with a tablet, two mobile phones and gold jewellery.

The theft came to light when Mahapatra returned home in the afternoon and found her belongings scattered across the house.

“When I came back from school, I sensed something was unusual. The front door appeared locked from inside, so I went around to the rear entrance where I noticed slippers lying outside. I immediately informed the police, who reached the spot within minutes,” she said.

Police have launched an investigation and are examining the scene for evidence. Efforts are underway to identify the culprits and recover the stolen valuables.

The incident has triggered anxiety among local residents, who say a series of thefts reported in recent weeks indicates a worrying shift in the pattern of crime. According to locals, burglaries that once occurred mostly at night are now increasingly being carried out in broad daylight when homeowners are away.

Neighbour Ramprasad Turuk said the growing frequency of such incidents has left residents feeling insecure and has raised questions about the prevailing law and order situation in the area.

Residents have urged the police to intensify patrolling, strengthen surveillance in residential localities and take proactive measures to curb the rising incidents of burglary before they become more frequent.