Thieves active on social media to attempt crime

Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 20

Thieves in Delhi are getting clue from social media about homes to rob. To stop this, Delhi Police - via Facebook and Twitter - is educating Delhites to be cautious while updating their status when they are out on holidays.

Delhites should know that people who are friends on social media may break in their house. Delhi Police has launched an exercise on its official Facebook and Twitter pages, advising the residents of Delhi to avoid putting ‘check-ins’, otherwise the thieves could ‘check in’ in your house.

According to the police officials, during summer season, people go to different place on vacation. Thus, the thieves become active in these days.

According to police, in some of the cases, it was observed that the house breakers committed the theft at the time when it was completely empty. To protect one’s house from burglary, one should not discuss his or her vacation plans with many people, because amongst them there could be someone who may be an informer to the thieves.

The involvement of regular visitors is always in doubt. Milk vender, newspaper delivery boy, vegetable vender are fully aware about the members of the house. Consequently, thieves in disguise may as well come and do recce.

The Delhi Police —through social media — is advising people on usage of teh virtual platform in a better way.

"We do not know the people connected to the social media personally, in spite of this, to inform them about our plans could be dangerous. 

Watching the activities on social media, anybody can keep an eye on you. Along with being cautious on tour, the parents are also advised that on social media they should not only monitor their children's activities, but should be well aware about the language used on social media," said a senior official pointing out the usage of abbreviated words and slangs which the parents should be aware of.