Lahore continues to be robbed blind ongoing year

More than 11,000 incidents of crime against property reported in the city

LAHORE: The year 2017 proved to be a lucrative one for bandits, thieves and robbers as they continued their looting spree. On average, 33 FIRs of crime against property were registered on a daily basis in different police stations of the city.

At least 11,225 incidents of crime against property including dacoity, robbery, burglary, car-theft/car snatching, bike-lifting/snatching and other vehicle lifting/snatching were registered in the provincial metropolis, according to data of registered FIRs till December 10. The data is available with The Express Tribune.

The Saddar Division, as usual, topped crime incidents as 2,496 of them were registered in the area. It was followed by Cantonment Division where 2,303 cases were filed. In the City Division there were 2,129 cases, 1,794 in Model Town Division, 1,347 in Iqbal Town and 1,156 cases in Civil Lines.



Bike-lifting remained the highest crime against property. At least 4,857 cases of were registered in 344 days of 2017. Other registered cases included 2,826 of burglary, 2,272 of robbery, 549 of car theft, 351 of other vehicle theft, 315 of motorcycle snatching, 34 of dacoity, 12 of car snatching and nine other of vehicle snatching.

Most of the cases of bike lifting were reported in the City Division where 1,037 cases were registered. The City Division was followed by Saddar Division with 1,016 cases, cantonment division with 959, Model Town Division with 779, Iqbal Town Division with 588 and Civil Lines Division with 478.



Saddar Division topped the cases of burglary with 786. In the Cantonment Division there were 720 cases, 477 in Model Town, 357 in City, Iqbal Town 251 and Civil Lines had 235 cases.

Robbery remained the top offence in the City Division where 442 cases were registered. In Saddar Division, there were 413 cases, 406 in Cantonment, 383 in Iqbal Town, 315 in Model Town and 313 in Civil Lines.

As far as car lifting was concerned, Saddar Division remained on top with 131 cases. There were 101 in City, 97 in Model Town, 92 in Cantonment as well as 64 each in Iqbal Town and Civil Lines divisions.



A total of 94 cases of other vehicle theft were registered in City Division, 58 in Model Town, 56 each in Saddar and Cantonment Division, 47 in Civil Lines and 40 in Iqbal Town divisions.

As many as 89 cases of motorcycle snatching were registered in City Division, 81 in Saddar, 56 in Model Town, 54 in Cantonment, 18 in Civil Lines and 17 in Iqbal Town Division.

Cantonment Division remained on top in cases of dacoity (a robbery bid in which more than five armed men participate) with 12 cases registered. In Cantonment Division, a gang wearing the uniform of law enforcement agencies would barge into the houses situated on the peripheries in the name of search operations. These dacoits would then hold the residents hostage and deprive them of their valuables. Police have yet to nab the suspects.  Seven cases of dacoity were registered in Model Town, six in City, four each in Iqbal Town and Saddar and one in Civil Lines.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2017.