Canker of chain snatching continues to dog police

On an average, 10 cases of chain snatching have been reported every month, snatching the sleep of the sentinels of the society. Over the past six months, 67 cases have been reported in the city.

On July 18 too, a septuagenarian woman was robbed of her gold chain worth Rs 70,000 in V V Puram police limits. It’s just the tip of the iceberg, as chain snatching continues to top the chart of regular offences.

Statistics available with the police say, in the year 2012 and 2011 too, a total of 153 and 140 chain snatching cases have been registered respectively. This, despite numerous awareness programmes conducted by the police to alert the public about the danger out on the streets.

A few months ago, when a series of such cases were reported, the police launched a publicity blitzkrieg, putting up portraits of modus operanding bureau (MOB) offenders who are adept in victimising gullible women. Similarly, small hoardings were put up at prominent junctions with recreated photographs of methods of chain snatching and do’s and don’ts to the public, besides publishing the contact numbers of jurisdictional police stations.

Dedicated check-posts were opened under 16 police stations limits, suspected two-wheelers were intercepted and documents checked to ensure that the ‘chain snatchers are not moving under the nose’.

Of late, the rise in chain snatching cases is attributed to the burgeoning gold rate, hovering between 27,000 and 30,000 for 10 grams.

If that was about the canker of chain snatching, other types of crimes like house burglaries and thefts (HBT) during the day and night bothers the police. Till June, three day theft cases and 54 cases during night have been reported. In the year 2012, the numbers were 25 and 120 respectively against 15 and 167 in the year 2011. Similarly, other types of thefts are recorded at 220 (till June), 539 and 684 in the last two-and-a-half years.

On the other hand, in most cases, especially chain snatching, police have succeeded in busting several gangs, adding a feather to their cap.

                                                  2013(Till June)           2012                  2011
Murder                                  12                    31     27   
Dacoity                                04                   09    11
Robbery                               24                    46    57
Chain snatching               67                  153    141
HBT day                                03                    25    15
HBT night                           54                 120    167
Other thefts                       220                                539    684