RAWALPINDI, Sept 30: The city is seeing a sharp increase in street crimes and auto thefts, and at least eight such cases were reported just on Monday, police said.

Mohammad Siddique told the Civil Lines police that he was returning home after purchasing meat from a market when three persons traveling in a white-coloured car intercepted him.

The occupants dragged Mr Siddique into the vehicle and deprived him of Rs25,400 in cash and a cellphone. The accused even snatched 6kg meat from the victim.The complainant said he smashed the glass of one of the vehicle’s window to stop the robbers, but they sped away.

Farah Asif told the Westridge police that she was coming out of a shop when two motorcyclists snatched her purse that contained Rs6,000 in cash, gold ornaments weighing 1.5 tolas and a cellphone. Subhanul Haq was deprived of his cellphone and wallet by four gunmen who intercepted him outside his house in the Airport Housing Society.

Maj Shahbaz Mohammad complained to the Civil Lines police that his car was stolen from outside a commercial bank, while Hussain Ahmad cab was taken away from within the Cantonment police limits.

Mohammad Rashid car was stolen from outside his house in the R.A. Bazaar area, while Zaheer Abbas’ car and Hammad Hameed’s motorcycle were driven away from the New Town area.

Though Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi Nasir Khan Durrani recently took an initiative to combat vehicle theft, there is no let-up in the crime.