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KARACHI, Dec 31: The year that ended on Wednesday witnessed the highest incidence of motorcycle snatching and theft in 10 years, affecting mainly the middle and lower-middle classes.
Figures compiled by the police and other institutions suggested that 2008 was no different from the previous years in terms of street crime for Karachiites, as they continued to lose their valuables as well as their lives.
“There were minor fluctuations in the figures of different street crimes,” said an official, citing the recently compiled data, last updated on December 23, 2008.
“But surprisingly you would find a phenomenal jump in snatching and theft of motorcycles, which touched the mark of 15,000, the highest figure since 1998.”
The figures showed that during 2008, a total of 10,568 motorcycles were stolen and 4,405 were snatched at gunpoint in different localities of the city. The figures stood at 10,086 during 2007 and jumped by almost 50 per cent in 2008. Though all the 12 months of the year remained ‘fruitful’ for criminals, September and October 2008 emerged as more productive for them when 1,128 and 1,304 motorcycles, respectively, were taken away.The police authorities, looking for the causes behind the rising interest of gangsters in motorcycles, believe that some of the gangs have links outside the province. They also claim to have busted a few key gangs and recovered stolen and snatched vehicles from them.
“We have found gangs who mostly take these motorcycles to Balochistan,” said Dr Amin Yousufzai, SP of the Anti-Car-Lifting Cell (ACLC). “Secondly, in 2007 the ACLC could not perform up to the mark and its repercussion was witnessed till the end of 2008. But by the end of the first quarter, the cell was made more active and it produced better results.”
He said the huge influx of two-wheelers during the last two years attracted the attention of gangsters and motorcycle robberies were not investigated properly by the police, which further boosted the crime rate.
Four-wheelers and cellphones
Apart from motorcycle snatching and theft, the number of four-wheelers lost reflected badly on police performance. Nearly 6,000 vehicles were taken away in 12 months, the highest figure of the crime registered since 1998.
A breakdown of the data showed that a total of 4,438 vehicles were stolen in different parts of the city and 1,511 owners were deprived of their vehicles at gunpoint. In 1998, 6,811 vehicle thefts and snatching were registered, which were the highest number till 2007, when 5,120 four-wheelers were reportedly taken away.
The alarmingly higher number of vehicle snatching and thefts not only exposes the performance of law enforcers, it also puts a question mark over the utility of the ACLC, dedicated to counter the crime.
The police authorities admit that the cell’s performance has been below the required level, which is needed to be improved and involved in advanced methodology and better coordination between the institutions concerned.
During 2008, more than 50,000 Karachiites were deprived of their cellphones and the figures showed the trend continued throughout the 12 months with no significant change in the number of crimes each day. A total of 21,755 cellphones were snatched in 2008 and 28,347 were reportedly stolen.
Crime but no punishment
Police authorities argue that their drive against crime in general and bike-theft and -snatching in particular cannot bear fruit unless “other factors” are taken into account. “One thing is needed to be understood before reaching any conclusion,” said Capital City Police Officer Wasim Ahmed.
“On the one hand, a large number of new vehicles are being added to the city every year and, on the other hand, the institutions that matter to police investigations do not deliver results.”
The city police chief said the ACLC had been performing well for the past few months and had even managed to bust a few gangs involved in the crime. “But hardly any of the criminals face any punishment, as they manage to get bail.”
