WHAT HAPPENED:
Around 12 noon on 9th May 2017, the ground floor flat’s rear window at Joseph’s Corner, Perry Road, Bandra (W); a secluded spot was witness to a daring daylight robbery. The robber(s) broke open the window & grill to enter the vacant bedroom of Francis Noronha, who was in Pune at that time, with his aged mother & wife. The robbers seem to have known the flat layout, where exactly the valuables were kept & the flat’s occupancy status. They ransacked the steel cupboards, choosing their pick spread on the bed – and fled quietly with gold ornaments worth around Rs. 65 lakhs, 15,000 US dollars plus some Indian currency, totally worth around Rs. 75 lakhs.
POLICE ACTION:
The Bandra Police Station was informed and their investigating team came immediately with the Mumbai Police Dog Squad, Forensic team, the Crime Branch officers with a finger print group – all to the complete satisfaction of Francis. He told us that the Bandra Police had done a good job. The ‘Panchnama’ for this criminal case was done, with jewellery boxes all lying empty all strewn around and cupboards broken open. The traumatic scene was just like rape.
SECURITY SYSTEM:
Francis told us that in spite of having the best hi-tech security system (Eurovision Motion Sensor of CMS, Eureka; installed four years back, at a cost of around Rs 70,000 plus an annual payment of around Rs. 7000/- per year – The batteries cost extra.) that money can buy, as a VIP Customer, this robbery has happened. He told us that the system sucks. He has installed multiple levels of alarms – an internal & external hooter (produces a siren-like sound) at the site, an SMS from the main server from Bangalore, with inputs from perimeter & motion sensors (no camera).
He has had multiple false alarms in previous months, due to system malfunction disturbing all the neighbours & creating a nuisance. Francis had rushed back, from Pune to Mumbai – the same night. On calling the helpline several times, there was no answer. Eventually, he was messaged that the concerned person was busy in a meeting. A call came four hours later, early morning!
PRIME SUSPECT:
He wonders how the security system failed to detect an intruder, exactly at that point in time when the robbery happened. He feels that Eurovision has lapsed & compromised in their bounden contractual responsibility & duty to care for their VIP customer. Francis has similar security panels installed in his Canadian & Colombo homes, so he has studied this security system well. Only Eureka (our partners in security) knows what is kept & where, in his home. They know exactly his travel movements and occupancy pattern. It does not take rocket science to come to a conclusion. So, he told us that they are his prime suspect – as they are the only people who can send intruders to the right spot, at the right ‘safe’ time. His preventive paid security measures have failed him – big time.
CONCLUSION:
In Francis’s point of view, Eurovision Security Systems are the main culprits, who are hand-in-glove with the robbers. The proof is in the pudding – and in short, at the critical time when the robbery happened, the security system did not work! Many hanging questions need to be answered. Meanwhile, the incredible intrigue of this daylight robbery is building up.
