Press conference: Police recover 50 vehicles out of 870

Anti-car lifting cell personnel deployed at entry and exit points.

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi police called a press conference on Monday to announce that they had recovered 50 stolen vehicles out of 870 lifted since January from the district.

Some 24 cars, 36 motorcycles and 10 other vehicles were snatched at gunpoint. Of the 868 motorcycles stolen, none have been recovered so far.

Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana claimed a significant decrease in car lifting cases since he took charge due to the effective strategy he had chalked out. He said 40 car jackers had been arrested and stolen vehicles recovered from their possession.

“It was due to the comprehensive strategy of anti-car lifting cell that dozens of stolen vehicles were recovered,” claimed CPO Kamyana. He said personnel from the anti-car lifting cell had been deployed at all entry and exit points to curb car thefts.

The police are also monitoring the situation and a vehicle mobile verification system will soon be introduced in the district, he added.

“The system will help us trace the stolen vehicle within seconds,” he claimed. He urged the residents to cooperate with the police and park their cars inside their houses or at a safe place.



The police have made arrangements to install pedal locks and car security systems at Rescue 15 office at reasonable prices, he stated, urging the residents to install the system to secure their vehicles.

According to a senior police officer, who didn’t want his name to appear in print, three to four vehicles are stolen from the city and adjoining areas every day. Replying to a question, the officer said several police officials had been demoted by the CPO for not registering FIRs, especially in robbery or car theft cases.

“Though the CPO has taken steps to control car theft, he hasn’t taken notice of the hardships people face while registering FIRs when their cars are stolen,” said Shamroz Khan, a resident of Sadiqabad whose car was stolen from outside his house.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2013.