Lucknow: Crooks super active with average 3 thefts daily

With close to three cases of theft every day, Lucknow has turned into an easy play field for thieves, a clear indication that the authorities’ efforts to check such crimes have not yielded the desired results.

According to the Lucknow Police crime data, 113 incidents of theft have been reported from the existing 42 police station areas of the district. Of these, police has so far managed to solve only 12 cases. The abysmal rate has further boldened the criminals.

Two cases of thefts were also reported on Monday. Ram Kishore Singh, a resident of Chinhat lodged a complaint of theft of cash and mobile phone from his residence.

In another incident, Shivam Upadhyay of Vijay Khand in Gomti Nagar complained of theft of cash, mobile phone and branded shoes from his residence. Though no complaint was lodged by the time this report was filed, station house officer (SHO) of Gomti Nagar police station said, “I have forwarded the details of the stolen mobile phones to surveillance to track them down. An FIR will also be lodged if needed.”

On the other hand, Upadhyay alleged that the local police appeared lax in taking cognisance of the theft in his house.

Similar complaints of delay in lodging theft cases are also made by people living in other parts of the city.

Diwakar Kumar, a private school teacher and resident of Chinhat said, “Thefts are reported in our area almost daily. People in our neighbourhood have shortened or even cancelled their family summer vacation to avoid being targeted by thieves.”

Kumar accused lack of police alertness for such cases. “We rarely see any police patrol team passing our area in the evening or night. This allows the thieves a free hand.”

In view of rampant thefts, people have started hiring private security guards to patrol outside their house at night.

MOST THIEVES DRUG ADDICTS

According to police officials, in most cases the thieves who are arrested are either drug addicts or first time offenders. “The arrested thieves are found to be drug addicts who steal things to buy drugs,” said Sonkar. “Most of them are young and first time offenders,” he added.

These thieves steal faucets and other items made of metal left in the open or on roof. They sell these to local scrap dealers. The city police recently arrested one such gang and the scrap dealer who purchased the stolen items from them.

GOMTI NAGAR MOST PRONE TO THEFTS

Thefts are reported from all parts of the city but have become a daily phenomenon in under Gomti Nagar circle that includes Gomti Nagar, Chinhat and Vibhuti Khand police stations. The rise in such incidents even led to transfer of the then SHO of Gomti Nagar Triloki Singh. The situation has not improved despite the transfer.

Terming the rampant cases of theft in the city ‘alarming’, SSP Lucknow Kalanidhi Naithani said, “I have advised all the additional SPs to monitor cases of theft in their respective areas and take steps to stop them. The SHOs have also been asked to keep a tab on theft cases.”

First Published:
Jun 11, 2019 14:31 IST

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