ISLAMABAD: The sense of insecurity among residents of the capital is increasing, as street crimes alone accounted for 81 per cent of felonies during September despite vigilance and monitoring of the Safe City Authority.

The citizens are not even secure in their houses and commercial centres, as criminals looted cash and valuables worth over Rs213 million.

According to the data collected from the capital police’s public relations branch, the police registered 1,186 criminal activities: two dacoities, 259 robberies, 197 snatchings, 92 burglaries, 199 thefts, 53 vehicle thefts, and 384 motorcycle thefts during September.

Out of the total, 969 incidents, a dacoity, 323 robberies, 195 snatchings, and 104 thefts along with 53 vehicles and 384 motorcycle thefts were committed on roads, the data revealed.

Citizens lose Rs213 million to criminals in over 1,100 cases

Out of the total crimes registered by the police, citizens were deprived of Rs213,908,369 in 749 incidents in cash and valuables. Besides, 374.6 tola gold, three vehicles, 71 motorcycles, 594 mobiles and 26 laptops were also stolen in these incidents.

During the last month, the police registered incidents of dacoities in Sadar Zone, in which criminals looted Rs1,140,000, 4 tola gold, six mobiles, a motorcycle, and a laptop.

In 259 robbery incidents, the criminals murdered a man, shot and injured eight persons, beat up five citizens, and looted Rs42,847,743, 118 tola gold, two vehicles, 65 motorcycles, 273 mobiles, and five laptops.

A robbery with murder, 13 robberies with violence, two robberies after kidnapping, 10 house robberies, 16 robberies at commercial centres, and 217 muggings were among these incidents. Out of the total 259 robberies, 98, 60, 58, and 34 incidents were respectively reported in Soan Zone, Industrial Area, Sadar, City and Rural zones.

The police also registered 197 incidents of snatchings, in which criminals injured three persons, and looted Rs13,519,708, six tola gold, 186 mobiles, a motorcycle, and two laptops. In seven incidents, the culprits were impersonating state officials. 184 snatching incidents were also reported, wherein a victim was kidnapped as well.

Out of the total 197 such incidents, 109, 36, 29, 19, and 4 cases were registered by Soan, Sadar, Industrial Area, City, and Rural zones, respectively.

The criminals stole Rs36,227,991, 197.1 tola gold, 46 mobile phones, and 12 laptops in 92 burglaries registered with the police, the data said, adding that out of the total, there were 78 burglaries in houses and 14 took place at commercial centres.

The Soan, Sadar, Rural, City and Industrial Area zones registered 39, 19, 14, 13, and seven such cases, respectively.

The police also registered 199 theft incidents: 49 at houses, 27 at commercial centres, 19 by employees, and one committed by a police official, the data said, adding the criminals stole Rs120,172,927, 49.5 tola gold, a vehicle, four motorcycles, 83 mobiles, and six laptops.

The City, Soan, Sadar, Industrial Area, and Rural zones registered 62, 46, 41, 27, and 23 such cases, respectively.

Besides, the police also registered 53 vehicle and 384 motorcycle thefts during September. At least 18, 14, 10, 6, and 5 cases were registered by City, Industrial Area, Sadar, Soan, and Rural zones, respectively, while 133, 89, 71, 53 and 36 motorcycle theft cases were respectively registered by City, Soan, Sadar, Industrial Area, and Rural zones.

It may be mentioned that the surge in crime came amid reservations about the police’s surveillance system managed by the Safe City Authority.

In a post at X, formerly Twitter, the capital police claimed that all the cameras, including 800 new cameras of the Safe City Authority are working properly and equipped with night vision since 2016.

A police officer told Dawn the Safe City Project was “unproductive as 2,850 cameras are installed on roads and streets, but police still failed to prevent crimes and arrest culprits”.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2023