LAHORE, Nov 27: An increase of Rs151 million has been recorded in the spoils taken away in house dacoities, robberies and burglaries in the city this year.

The increase has been deduced from the booty looted in the first 10 months (Jan-Oct) of the current year compared to that of the last year’s.

Sources say that Lahore police have been a failure as far as crime prevention is concerned, especially with reference to busting of gangs of criminals operating freely. They say that at least five gangs have been active in the city for the last some months, making dozens of strikes daily on houses.

The police record says that booty worth Rs407 million has been taken away this year against Rs256 million looted last year in house dacoities, robberies and burglaries.

Dacoity is a crime in which five or more armed criminals take part, robbery is a crime in which four or less armed outlaws are involved, while burglary is a crime in which a house is looted in the absence of its owner.

This year gangsters have made 464 strikes on houses and taken away valuables worth Rs147 million. They struck 397 houses last year, getting away with the spoils worth Rs104 million.

As far as dacoities are concerned, booty worth Rs115 million has been looted in 61 hits this year against Rs54 million in 56 strikes last year.

There is also an increase in house burglaries with 917 cases this year against 834 reported last year. Valuables worth Rs145 million have been looted in burglaries this year against Rs97 million taken away last year.

In all, valuables worth Rs1.34 billion have been taken away in crimes against property, including dacoities, robberies, burglaries, thefts, snatching and thefts of cars and motorcycles, in the first nine months of the current year.

Lahore police have registered 767 incidents of crimes against property per month this year. A total of 9,201 crimes against property have been registered in the nine months.

The police record shows that 26 people have been killed by robbers on resistance in the period under review. Seventeen people have been injured during robbery incidents, it said.

A total of 111 cars, 175 motorcycles and 16 other vehicles have been taken away this year. As many as 1,043 cars, 1,276 motorcycles and 236 other vehicles have been stolen.