Street crimes in city break all previous records

71 people killed in 57,836 incidents of street crime in first eight months

KARACHI:

The metropolitan city is witnessing an unprecedented increase in street crimes, breaking all previous records. As many as 57,836 incidents of street crime have been reported across the city during the first eight months of this year, according to a report released by the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) on Wednesday.

While quoting figures from the Karachi police database, the report further reveals that trigger-happy muggers have killed 71 people and injured more than 300 for putting up resistance during robberies. Of them, 11 people were killed during mugging incidents in the first week of September alone. However, police could not arrest any of the killers and the victims became just statistics.

As per the CPLC report, armed robbers snatched 37,015 motorcycles and 19,321 mobile phones during the first eight months of this year. The CPLC has recorded a significant increase in incidents of mobile phones and motorcycles snatching, and vehicles theft compared to the corresponding period last year.

As many as 16,591 mobile phones, 32,881 motorcycles, and 1,268 automobiles had been snatched or stolen during the first eight months of 2021. However, so far this year, 19,321 mobile phones, 37,015 motorcycles, and 1,500 vehicles have been snatched at gunpoint or stolen.

According to a breakup, around 2,499 mobile phones were snatched at gunpoint in January, 2,199 in February, 2,416 in March, 2,118 in April, 2,658 in May, 2,600 in June, 2,154 in July, and 2,677 in August. Similarly, 4,327 motorcycles were snatched or stolen in January, 4,486 in February, 4,711 in March, 4,305 in April, 4,837 in May, 4,653 in June, 4,377 in July, and 5,319 in August. Moreover, around 200 vehicles were snatched or stolen in January, 186 in February, 220 in March, 193 in April, 186 in May, 188 in June, 160 in July, and 167 in August.

Armed muggers killed 11 civilians for resisting robberies in the first week of September alone. Four of them were shot dead in Korangi district. Three incidents of killing during robberies took place in Central District, two in Eastern District, and two in Western District. Police have not been able to arrest the killers involved in any of these incidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2022.