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First-time snatchers keeping Chandigarh Police on toes
A whopping 93% of the 153 snatchers arrested so far this year in Chandigarh have no criminal history, but transgressed due to lure for drugs, easy money, say police
Faced with the challenge of the spurt in snatching incidents, the city police are finding that it’s not seasoned criminals but first-time offenders who are behind most of the cases.
As per figures provided by the Chandigarh Police, as many as 118 snatchings have been executed in the city since the beginning of the year, with almost a month to go, compared to 121 last year.
Among the 118 cases, 97 (82%) have been cracked with the arrest of 153 people, including a woman, of whom, police say as many as 142 (93%) are first-time offenders.
“Majority of the people arrested this year for snatching have no criminal history. But they turned to crime for a quick buck,” said Kuldeep Singh Chahal, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Chandigarh.
A senior police official said investigations had revealed that 90% of the snatchers arrested this year were hooked to drugs and were hence desperate for money.
Technology coming to aid
According to investigators probing such incidents, CCTV cameras installed around the city as part of the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) project and the cameras’ constant monitoring through the centre were helping police trace the accused.
Not just this, human intelligence and a check on jewellers was also behind the high solving rate when it comes to snatchings. Along with this, police’s “Roko Toko Abhiyan”, where cops randomly stop and check suspicious persons is also proving beneficial.
Among other initiatives of the police are putting up check posts during evening hours in busy market areas, along with more patrolling at unlit and deserted streets.
“Increased patrolling, dominance on the road with nakas, along with technology, has helped us arrest the accused,” said SSP Chahal.
Southern parts of city most vulnerable
The data shared by the police also reveals major chunk of the snatching incidents are being reported from southern sectors.
Of the five police divisions in Chandigarh, South West division leads with 36 snatching cases, followed by South and Central divisions with 24 each, East division with 18 and North-East division with 16.
This, investigators say, is primarily due the high density of population and easy escape routes, owing to porous borders with Mohali as well as Panchkula.
The South-West division comprises the Sector 36, 39 and Maloya police stations and the South division the Sector 31, 34 and 49 police stations.
The Central division includes the police stations in Sectors 3, 17 and 11, and Sarangpur, while the police stations in Sectors 19 and 26, and Industrial Area fall under the East division.
The North East division has Manimajra, IT Park and Mauli Jagran police stations under its ambit.
