While locals blame lack of police patrolling, the petty offences have increased as many undertrials were released due to the pandemic; police are working with almost half the man power and in two shifts
The police said in both commercial outlets that were broken into in Sectors 19 and 20, the accused opened the shutters partly, without breaking the locks
Kharghar has witnessed a steep rise in cases of theft and housebreakings in the past few days. The latest case was reported in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, wherein two commercial outlets were broken into. The local residents' association has blamed the lack of police patrolling in the area. A large number of undertrial history sheeters were released on parole due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of this, petty offences have increased and most police stations are running with half the staff due to the pandemic.
Out of the two commercial outlets targeted, one is a unisex saloon in sector 19 and the other was a hardware outlet in sector 20. Police suspect it is a job by the same group, as the pattern of offence is similar – apart from taking small cash, at both places the accused opened the shutter partly, without breaking the locks. They vanished with colour TVs, the CCTV camera monitor and even the camera recording set top box, with other items from both outlets, said the police.
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They were captured in a CCTV camera on the adjacent building. The Kharghar police are studying the footage and have started the probe.
Highly placed senior police officers said without money, or source of income, the released undertrials will strike again, to make their ends meet
Mangal Kamble, founder president of Swachh Kharghar Foundation said, "In the last past weeks instances of mobile thefts, housebreaking and other petty offences have been on the rise in Kharghar. I have spoken to the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Bipin Kumar Singh, and informed him about the resident's concern about the increase in cases. He has been kind enough to have assured us of intensifying police movement."
"Earlier, every afternoon and night, policemen were spotted on two-wheelers patrolling across Kharghar, but since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown began, they have almost stopped the regular patrolling, in residential area, markets and isolated lanes. Moreover, many of the police booths, that have been set up at different points in and around Kharghar, remain locked. There is no police presence, which otherwise could have become a deterrent for offenders," said Kamble.
"They must intensify police presence by encouraging foot patrolling. These petty criminals are taking advantage of the police laxity, and we need to have strict policing, which will help to enhance a sense of public safety, especially among the senior citizens. Also, CCTV cameras put up at various junctions of Kharghar are non-functional and need repairs at the earliest," she asserted.
Col. V P Singh, president of Sector 19 Residents' Association and ALM, Kharghar said, "The need of the hour is to have stringent police actions at ground level and for that they need to be out on the streets of Kharghar day and night, patrolling. We must have human intelligence in place and this is possible with effective public and police participation in crime prevention and control."
However, highly placed senior police officers within Navi Mumbai and Panvel zones said that it was unfortunate that the accused who are known history sheeters, are out in open, and they will seldom be reformed without being put behind the bars. And with no money, or source of income, they will strike again, to make their ends meet.
"We have therefore cautioned public at large to refrain from wearing jewellery, expensive watches, or even keep any valuables and laptops unattended in vehicles or give lift to strangers,' said a police officer.
"In a recent briefing, with the senior police officials attached to Navi Mumbai and Panvel Zones, Police Commissioner Bipin Kumar Singh told the police to intensify patrolling and be on extra alert for petty street crime like mobile thefts, chain snatching, housebreaking, etc. He said the cases might be on rise in coming days, with most police stations running with half the manpower," said a police officer.
Another police officer added, "Most of the police stations in Navi Mumbai are short-staffed due to the pandemic. Some staff are either COVID-19 positive and in quarantine or in hospital. Some are above 55 years of age and off duty, as per government directives."
"Kharghar police station has a strength of approximately 95 policemen and officers, of which around 11 are above 55 years. Over 25 staff are either sick or have tested positive. The remaining over 60 staff work in two shifts. Going on foot or night patrol can become much more difficult, in these testing times," said another police officer.
Senior Police Inspector Pradeep Tidar of Kharghar police station tried to down play the issue, and said, "We are working round the clock and will continue to put our best efforts to prevent such crimes. We have already started patrolling in the area and have registered FIRs against the unknown accused. The housebreaking incident in sector 19 was reported from two different outlets. We have the CCTV footage and will be probing the case further. We are intensifying day and night patrolling across areas, especially sector 19 and 20."
According to SI Tidar around 10,625 undertrials were released from prisons across Maharashtra during the lockdown.
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