The instances of burglary have gone down almost by 60 percent in the past one month as compared to the previous month in Kathmandu.
But petty crimes are up, police records show. [break]
Police officials attribute the surge in petty crimes largely to the prolonged power outage.
According to data availed by Metropolitan Police Range Office, Kathmandu, there were eight cases of burglaries, down from 18 cases in the previous month, during mid-December to mid-January. The number of such cases were 21 during mid-October to mid-November.
Major burglaries usually take place in unattended houses, mostly in the evening. But many people these days come home early from their regular work either to secure their houses from burglars or due to power outage at office, thus contributing partly to a decrease in burglaries.
But, police believe, this has also made them fall prey to petty crimes while on their way home in the evening or during shopping.
Still, the capital could be considered safer owing to a sharp decrease in instances of major burglaries, which, Superintendent of Police Nawa Raj Silwal, chief of Metropolitan Police Range Office, Kathmandu, also attributes to new security measures effected some two months ago in Kathmandu.
Kathmandu Range Office has been conducting checking during the nights in 26 places, besides conducting foot patrolling in inner parts of the city, and regular checking at all entry points to Kathmandu Valley. The police-check points are set up at different places every night with the intention to leave the wrongdoers clueless about where they might be caught.
Additionally, police have also constituted three special police teams, each consisting 15 police personnel and sniffer dogs. These teams are responsible for checking the smuggling of arms and explosives, and narcotics.
Police officials say that while checking and foot patrolling has helped discourage armed burglars from becoming active, it has failed to make any difference to petty thieves.
Altogether 61 cases of petty crimes, up from 34 in the previous month, were reported in the month of mid-December to mid-January in Kathmandu. The cases stood at 34 during mid-October to mid-November too.
Police records indicate that most incidents of petty crimes take place during load shedding hours. Of the 61 cases from mid-December to mid-January, 37 took place when there was power outage in the evening or at night.
To carry out their activities during daytime, petty thieves employ various techniques including use of itching powder and hurling filth on the clothes of their targets to distract them and run away with their belongings.
Police officials believe that drug-addicted youths mostly doing their higher secondary level studies are into such activities. These youths often snatch mobile phones, necklaces and other valuables of pedestrians to make money for buying drugs.
"We have also found instances where such youngsters throw some money on the ground, tell their prospective preys that the money fell from their pocket, and seize valuables from them while they pick up the money," said Silwal.
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