E-Paper
Pune lockdown sees fall in vehicle theft cases
The number of vehicle thefts has gone down by more than half as compared to the same period last year, according to police officials.
The number of vehicle thefts reported in Pune city as well as Pimpri-Chinchwad reduced in the first half of 2020. Officials attribute the decline in vehicle thefts to the lockdown necessitated to contain the spread of the Covid-19 infection.
In Pune, the number of vehicle thefts has gone down by more than half as compared to the same period last year. A total of 397 cases were reported between January 1 and July 17 in the current year while during the same period last year, 1,011 cases were registered.
Of the 397 cases, 92 were recorded in January, 100 in February and 60 in March, the number came down to 8 in April and 19 in May. As soon as the lockdown was lifted, the cases rose to 63 in June and 45 until July 17.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, the number of cases reduced by around half as compared to last year. A total of 357 cases of vehicle thefts were reported in the first six months this year in Pimpri-Chinchwad. During the corresponding months last year, 681 cases were reported.
The reason for the reduced number can be attributed to the lockdown and preventive action taken by the police, according to officials of both the forces.
“Vehicle thefts generally happen in public spaces like bus stops, railway stations and markets. Since these were shut, we witnessed reduced cases. Additionally, there were good detections by the police which led to reduced criminals on the streets,” said Bachchan Singh, deputy commissioner of police, Pune.
The security provided by secured parkings in societies and residential areas leads to reduced vehicle theft, he believes. “We have had good detections. Of course, lockdown is also one of the major reasons. But we have also taken enough preventive measures to ensure that the cases remain low,” said Sudhir Hiremath, deputy commissioner of police, Pimpri-Chinchwad police.
The recorded cases of vehicle thefts have been reported from industrial as well as residential areas in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
In Chakan, a company worker’s vehicle was stolen from near the gates of his workplace located in Mhalunge on July 23 while he was at work. It was a Bajaj Pulsar worth Rs 45,000.
A worker at a company in Nighoj used his Splendor motorbike worth Rs 7,000 to come to the bus stop in Sagurdi, located 75-80km away, to board the company bus. When he got back from work, the motorbike was missing.
