RAWALPINDI, June 8: Security measures, adopted by the police, appear to be inadequate as “street crimes” have risen, while the police recovery percentage of stolen goods has dropped to 12 per cent during the last month.

The statistics collected from the police department showed that the recovery percentage had fallen to 12 per cent from 71 per cent during the corresponding month last year.

It showed that the value of stolen goods was Rs17,655,458 last month, whereas goods worth Rs20,746,857 were stolen in the corresponding period last year.

A press release issued by the SSP Rawalpindi office claimed that due to better police planning, there had been a decline in cases of murder, attempted murder, robbery, vehicle-lifting and rape. However, statistics collected by Dawn showed a different picture in Rawalpindi district.

About 20 murder cases were registered with the police last month while 16 such cases had been registered in the corresponding period last year.

Similarly, 100 injury cases were registered with the police last month as compared to 65 in the same period last year, the statistics showed.

There was also a rise in car-lifting cases. About 65 vehicles were stolen from Rawalpindi district during the last month, while 52 were stolen during the same period last year.

About 272 vehicles have been stolen from Rawalpindi district so far this year, the statistics showed.

Likewise, seven cases of assault on police were reported last month whereas five such cases had been registered with the Rawalpindi district police in the corresponding period last year.

The statistics showed that 27 incidents of robbery/dacoity had taken place last month in which cash and other valuables were robbed by the culprits as compared to 24 reported in the corresponding period last year.

The statistics also indicated a rise in ‘theft cases’ from 43 to 54.

However, there has been a fall in fatal and non-fatal road accidents, abduction and gang-rape cases last month.

The sanctioned strength of Rawalpindi police, headed by a senior superintendent of police (SSP), are four SPs, four ASPs, 10 DSPs, one DSP (legal), 63 inspectors, 19 inspectors (legal), 235 sub-inspectors, 318 ASIs, 523 head constables and 3,978 constables.

The police have blamed, poverty, unemployment and low tolerance level among the public as some of the causes of crimes rise.