Gurugram residents take up investigation after series of burglaries

Residents of Sector 56 in Gurugram took it upon themselves to investigate a series of burglaries that occurred last month. Although they discovered that a gang of four robbers might be responsible for the thefts, the residents allege that police are doing little to hunt them down.

Residents of Sector 56 in Gurugram took it upon themselves to investigate a series of burglaries that occurred last month. Although they discovered that a gang of four robbers might be responsible for the thefts, the residents allege that police are doing little to hunt them down.

According to residents, in the CCTV footage from the three societies and eight other locations, four men were seen near all the houses from where thefts were reported. (CCTV grab)

Residents said there have been at least 15 burglaries in three gated societies of Sector 56, namely Vaastu Apartment, Pragati Apartment, and Technical Paradise, since May this year. Frustrated over the alleged inaction of the police, they decided to form a team and look for clues. When they started scanning the CCTV footage from the three societies and eight other locations, four men were seen near all the 15 houses, from where thefts were reported. However, their faces were not identifiable, the residents said.

“We were really frustrated as despite requesting the police multiple times, nothing was working out. The officials gave us a standard reply that they were working on the cases. I was frustrated, and decided to do something on my own. So I started interacting with other victims, and we formed a team,” said Raman Mishra, a resident of Technical Paradise.

The residents started visiting the areas from where theft cases were reported and got the details of the 15 apartments from which thefts were reported. Interestingly, the modus operandi was the same.

Mishra has alleged that despite the fact that a building like Technical Paradise had 32 CCTV cameras, the residents could not identify the thieves, as they managed not to be caught by the CCTV cameras.

The concerned residents then visited all the societies and met the security guards, housekeeping staff and domestic workers.

“We also found that a member of the support staff at an apartment has been missing since May 31 after a burglary incident. We immediately informed the police and handed over his picture and identification documents, but till now no concrete steps have been taken,” said Devender Arora, a resident of Pragati Apartment, who suffered a loss of ₹2.5 lakh, after thieves broke into his apartment on the intervening night of May 30 and 31.

Residents also said that every building in the area has been helping the afflicted families by providing them with CCTV footage. “But the police is maintaining a dreadful silence. We have not received a single call from the police or the crime team,” Rajesh Krishnan alleged.

Theft is a burgeoning crime in Gurugram, although it is mostly reported from independent houses where private security systems are not installed. This year so far, 45 theft cases have been reported from Sector 56, 57, Suncity Township and Sector 61.

Arvind Kumar, station house officer, Sector 56 police station said they are on the track, based on the faces identified from the CCTV and that they have launched a manhunt for them. “We have interrogated three dozen people in last two months and all the people working in these societies are under scanner. However, unless we come across anything concrete, we cannot harass anyone,” Kumar said.

The residents said that despite installing CCTV cameras, they were unable to sleep sound at night due to the fear of thefts.