RAWALPINDI: Street crimes in the garrison city are on the rise, with 87 incidents being recorded on Tuesday, including the theft of 36 motorcycles, three cars, 30 mobile phones, gold jewellery worth over Rs8 million and cash in 14 armed robberies.

On the other hand, robbers looted cash and valuables in 22 strikes in Islamabad where a gang of four robbers managed to escape after looting three persons and later escaped after a shootout with the police.

The robbers intercepted and held up two persons near Wheat Godown and deprived them of a motorcycle along with cash and valuables.

After getting the information the police reached the spot and launched a search for the robbers, they said adding that during which the police team spotted a man in the captivity of four persons armed with weapons in I-11.

The police warned the culprits to surrender but they started firing on them, the police said, adding that the police also retaliated and during the cross firing one of the culprits sustained bullet injury and fell on road.

However, the other three robbers managed to escape along with two motorcycles, including Honda 125, cash and mobiles, looted from three different people, including Zamjin Khan in same locality.

The police succeeded to arrest the injured robber, they added.

In another incident, a gang of two robbers entered the house of Dr Humaira Ismial in G-8/2 and her up along with her mother, the police said, adding that later the culprits detained them in a room and looted gold ornaments weighing 20tolas, and cash Rs90,000 at gunpoint.

Four armed men raided a shop at Banazir Chowk and held up the shopkeeper at gunpoint and looted cash Rs350,000 at gunpoint, they said, adding that a gang of four robbers intercepted and held up Usman Ali, a Bykea rider and customer Naeem Ullah at Wheat Godown and looted Honda 125, cash Rs6,000, two mobiles and a ATM card at gunpoint.

Similarly, two persons armed with weapons intercepted and held up Wajhat Ali at Sara-i-Kharboza and snatched a mobile phone and ATM cards at gunpoint, the police said.

Moreover, a culprit snatched a purse, carrying gold ornament, Rs100,000 cash, three ATM cards and a mobile phone from the daughter of Raja Tariq Hayat at Faizabad, they said.

Furthermore, some burglars broke into a house of Ms Nargis at Sara-i-Kharboza and made off with Rs300,000, cash, three watches and a TV speaker system and other valuables, the police said.

Meanwhile, auto-thieves stole a Toyota Corolla GLI and Mehran from Blue Area and Madina Town respectively, they said, adding that a dozen motorcycles, including Honda 125, Honda CD70, United 70 and Union Star were stolen from Zero Point, F-6/4, G-11, Shams Town, QAU, Tarli Kalan, Monal Road, Jhangi Syedan, Blue Area, Simly Dam Road, Sitara Market and E-16/3.

According to Rawalpindi police figures, 2,437 motorcycles have been stolen and 154 snatched at gunpoint so far this year compared to 1981 motorcycles stolen and 108 snatched in 2021.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2022