LAHORE, Jan 6: Criminals continued their looting spree in the provincial capital and deprived citizens of their properties worth millions of rupees in 220 incidents of crime that took place during the last six days.
The robbers and thieves took away 87 motorcycles, 35 other vehicles including cars, looted 34 houses, 21 offices, shops and general stores and 32 families on the roads.A source privy to the official figures in police department told Dawn that on the first day of 2012, the robbers and thieves looted four houses including one located in Cavalry Ground from where the armed intruders took away cash, gold jewelry and other valuables worth over Rs8 million alone.
Similarly, they looted 11 families at gunpoint and sped away with 14 motorcycles and four cars from various localities of the city, the same day.
They injured four citizens on resistance including Muhammad Sidique in Manga Mandi, Irfan Ali in Ichhra, Waqas in Sabzazar and Imran in Naseerabad. They even did not spare a police constable dentified as Zulfiqar Ali and snatched from him cash Rs17,000 at gunpoint in Shahdara area.
On Friday alone, the source said, outlaws looted property worth Rs20 million in 60 incidents of crime, “showing an alarming situation”. He said robbers looted two houses, 11 offices, shops and general stores and six families. Besides, the criminals also took away 19 motorbikes and eight cars in theft and street crime incidents the same day.
Giving details of major crime incidents took place on Friday, he said robbers looted cash and gold jewelry worth over Rs500,000 from the house of Sarfaraz in Islampura and Rs200,000 from the house of Siddique in Kahna.
Similarly, they snatched at gunpoint seven tola gold jewelry, cash Rs 25,000 and motorbike from Sarfaraz and his family in Ghaziabad, Rs400,000 from Akthar and his family in Township, Rs500,000 from Mohsin in Faisal Town.
The motorbikes were stolen or snatched from the localities including Islampura, Nawankot, Township, Lower Mall, New Anarkali, Lytton Road, Iqbal Town, Muslim Town, Samanabad, Defence B, Johar Town, North Cantonment.
Meanwhile, Hanjarwal police claimed to have arrested a gang of five criminals and recovered from their possession three stolen motorbikes.
According to a press release issued on Friday, the arrested were identified as Hafiz Fayyaz, Tariq Baloch, Abubkr, Ashiq Shah and Yaseen.
Initial investigation suggested that they were involved in crime and would lift motorbikes from parking lots.
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