ISLAMABAD: Robberies, burglaries, street crime and auto-thefts have registered a sharp increase in capital as the police have registered 3,744cases of crime against property during the first quarter of the current year, Dawn has learnt.

Details collected from Public Relation Office of police said that the capital police have registered a total number of 6,890 cases from January 1 to March 31, as compared to 3,479 cases registered during the same period last year.

During the first quarter of the 2022, the capital police registered 731incidents of robberies, 510 incidents of street crime, 393 incidents of burglaries, 1,049 cases of thefts, 198 cases of vehicle (four-wheelers) thefts and 863 cases of motorcycle thefts, the details said, adding that, 312 cases of robberies, 119 cases of snatching, 135 cases of burglaries, 177 cases of thefts, 180 cases of vehicle thefts and 396 cases of motorcycle thefts were registered during the same period of 2021.

During the first quarter of the current year 17 incidents of encounter between the police and the alleged robbers/culprits/suspects also took place in the capital, the details said.

These incidents took place at Jhangi Syedan and G12 on Jan 7, I-15/1 and Ratti Kassi Tarnol on Jan 9, Pindorian on Jan 18, I-11/1 on Jan 21, H-9 on Jan 26, G-14 on Jan 27, Koral on Jan 29, E-16/2 on Feb 4, G-11 on Feb 13, Khanna on Feb 16, Margalla Town Feb16, Heeran Mira on Feb 20, Dhok Kashmirian on March 14, G-13 on March 15, Ghouri Town on March 25, it said.

According to the FIRs registered over these 17 encounter/shootouts, two policemen were injured from the firing of the robbers.

In all these incidents police resorted to firing in the air to warn the robbers. A robber was killed and 22 injured from firing by their accomplices, the FIR added.

During the first quarter of the current year 32 fatal incidents and 33 non-fatal incidents took in capital as compared to 32 and 17 respectively during the same period of the previous year, the details said.

Like crime against property, crime against persons was also increased in the capital, the details said, adding that the capital police registered 43 cases of murder, 82 murder attempt, and 257 kidnapping and rape during the first quarter of the current years as compared 34 murder, 50 murder attempt, and 166 kidnapping/rape respectively.

Senior Superintendent of Police (operations) Mohammad Faisal was not available for his comments when contacted.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2022