Regular patrolling and crackdown on unauthorized gatherings by Durg police seem to be proving insufficient to curb increasing number of housebreaking and theft cases reported from across the Durg district. The district has seen 200 thefts and 73 burglaries till the month of March this year which have created a sense of lawlessness. Although the police could not instantly share the number of cases solved, sources confirmed that the detection rate for burglary is notoriously low. Several posh housing colonies and societies in Durg-Bhilai have emerged as hotspots where burglary and thefts are concentrated and the police seem to be facing systemic collapse in investigation capacity. Durg district has witnessed 273 incidents of thefts and burglaries in three months that averages to over 3 reports per day. The residential colonies are specific hotspots where most of these crimes are concentrated yet the seemingly helpless police appear to be only appealing the denizens to install CCTV and motion cameras in their homes and establishments to prevent occurrence of such crimes.

 

Interestingly, the police admit that the thieves usually conduct recce before committing the crime but apart from cracking down on unauthorised gatherings and engaging in night patrolling, the police seem to be completely dependent on the awareness of people like not leaving home empty, installing CCTV cameras to prevent and detect such crimes. While ‘The Hitavada’ deeply analyzed reasons behind inability or delay by police to solve such cases, the fact surfaced that most of the investigation officers in a police station remain engaged in other legal works and allegedly stops investigating the case in which there is no video evidence available or suspect is found. Fortunately, the traditional methods like night patrolling and tip offs from informers and keeping under surveillance those with history of thefts and burglaries are still alive which significantly contributes to improve the theft detection rate. A senior officer of Durg police wishing anonymity stated that police repeatedly appeals people to depute someone to take care of their homes in their absence and also avoid keeping costly belongings at home to prevent burglaries.

 

He said that the lock hanging from the door after the residents leave also helps thieves during the recce while failing to tell how many such persons conducting recce before thefts have been arrested so far.