When strongholds crack: bike theft hits police station

A city already stretched to its limits by rising street crime and eroding public trust in law enforcement appears to have hit a new low, as even police stations - meant to be the last line of security - are now being breached with alarming ease, raising serious questions about whether Karachi's safety system itself is coming undone.

The shocking incident inside the Preedy police station has sparked serious concerns over security and policing standards after a citizen who visited the station to lodge a cybercrime complaint allegedly had his motorcycle stolen from within the premises itself.

According to victim Haider Ali, he had visited Saddar Mobile Market on April 20 to purchase a mobile phone when he was allegedly targeted in a digital fraud attempt. Seeking legal action, he reached Preedy police station around 9:20pm to file a complaint. Ali said he informed the officer on duty about the incident but was told to return the following day to formally register his complaint.

Within minutes of waiting inside the station, Ali stepped out at around 9:30pm and was shocked to find his motorcycle missing. He said the bike had been parked inside the police station premises in an area monitored by multiple CCTV cameras and located directly in front of the surveillance control room overseeing Saddar.