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20 hits in 25 days: Thieves on a November roll
Between November 1-25, at least 20 house thefts in the city targeted locked homes, with police arresting a gang after analyzing 200 CCTV feeds.
Out of the at least 20 cases of house theft that the city has reported between November 1 and 25, the burglars took advantage of surveillance gaps and the absence of occupants to target locked houses in several instances.
FIRs and police probes indicated that over a dozen major thefts took place in the said period. On November 8 and 18 each, four such cases were reported.
A trend emerging from November’s crime log is the burglars’ preference for locked premises, often chosen after short reconnaissance.
Whether it was houses in Manaknagar, Gudamba, Mohanlalganj, or the cluster of incidents cracked by PGI police, most victims were away when the crimes took place.
On November 25, four men arrived in a car in Manaknagar’s Ramprasad Kheda, broke into a house and fled with jewellery and cash while the homeowner was admitted to Avanti Bai Women’s Hospital. In Gudamba, thieves targeted the vacant house of one Mohd. Rais and stole solar equipment worth lakhs of rupees.
Senior officers confirmed that November has shown a clear shift toward targeting locked houses, with gangs moving in swiftly when occupants are out for extended hours. “Police teams have been asked to increase night patrolling and keep closer watch on tenants, seasonal workers and new entrants in localities, and groups often linked with reconnaissance work,” said DCP Crime Kamlesh Dixit.
Gang of 4 held after 200 CCTV footage scanned
The largest breakthrough this month came when PGI police cracked a series of thefts by analysing over 200 CCTV cameras. A four-member gang was arrested, confirming suspicions that organised groups have been scouting neighbourhoods and attacking locked homes. Another incident, the November 24 theft repeat attempt at a temple, was also solved due to CCTV footage. A man who returned to steal from a donation box for the second time was detained
