Police caught napping as theft cases spiral in city

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 27

In the past over two months, the city has witnessed a rise in the number of house theft cases with at least 24 incidents reported during this period.

The city has witnessed 140 theft incidents and 68 incidents of burglary during the first six months of the year.

Police sources said due to the summer vacation in schools, “people often go on trips with their children and thieves take advantage of this and strike at their houses”.

The police have been found wanting in solving the crime cases. Only 49 incidents of theft and 24 incidents of burglary have been worked out this year.

The failure of the police to check thefts has left residents in a fix, who have to think twice before going out of the city.

Shivani Kashyap, a resident of Sector 16, whose gold jewellery and other valuables worth Rs 3 lakh was stolen from her house between May 7 and May 9 this year, said she felt that keeping valuables in the house was no more safe. “Since the police have failed to work out the case, I feel it’s better not to keep any valuables in the house while moving out of the city,” she said.

Daylight thefts have also left city residents worried. In a recent case, thieves managed to decamp with Rs 1.10 lakh and gold jewellery from the house of a retired government officer in Sector 46 on June 7. The theft took place in the afternoon when the house owner had gone for shopping. On returning after four hours, he found his house ransacked.

A police official said neighbours should be informed while going out of the city so that they are vigilant. “It would be safe if the house owner leaves a key with the neighbours and requests one of their family members to sleep in the house,” he said.