CCTVs, patrolling reduce petty crimes in western suburbs

Policemen from the city’s western region have proved that a little extra vigilance can go a long way in making the city safer.

Policemen from the city’s western region have proved that a little extra vigilance can go a long way in making the city safer.

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A few simple measures taken by Vishwas Nagre Patil, the additional commissioner of police, have brought down the occurrence of petty crimes like chain snatching, bag thefts, and people posing as fake cops in the western suburbs.

“We started installing CCTV cameras at important junctions, from Bandra to Andheri. This helped tremendously,” said Patil.

The police first identified spots where maximum numbers of such cases were recorded. They selected the most vulnerable of these, and installed cameras there. More than 60 cameras have been installed.

The live feed from the captured footage is monitored at the police station. This, along with constant patrolling, has worked wonders for police and residents. “I concentrate on prevention rather than investigation,” Patil said.

A police officer from Bandra police station said: “There was a drastic rise in chain snatching and bag thefts in areas under our jurisdiction. We tried several techniques. The installation of CCTV cameras have not only helped us identify the accused but has also helped in curbing the occurrence of such incidents.

Patil has also started an exercise called Aadan Pradan, in which an arrested accused is brought in front officers from police stations in the area.

The crime record of the accused and his background is discussed. This helps police understand the criminal, and the way he operates, better. “This discourages the criminal and also proves helpful for us,” said a senior police officer.