Data show dip in calls to Delhi police on robbery, snatching

Police attribute use of technology, data records of criminals and increased patrolling as the reasons behind the decline

Calls to the police control room (PCR) on robbery and snatching incidents have registered a dip compared to the previous year, Delhi police data show. Robbery-related calls declined by 20% and snatching by 27%.

The police attribute the vital use of technology, data records of criminals, and increased patrolling as the reasons behind the decline in these calls to the PCR.

According to the data, the maximum decline of 50% for PCR robbery calls was in central Delhi, while the lowest of 19% was in Dwarka. Similarly, for snatching, the highest drop of 46% was in central Delhi and the lowest of 30% in east Delhi.

To curb street crime, a senior officer said, the police had started using the “criminal tagging” method. Under this, an accused is tagged with cops, who keep a close watch. “The cops keep an eye on their [accused] movements, livelihood and residence. This helps in identifying more criminals or getting a tip-off on a crime,” the officer explained.

Moreover, police watched the activities of the accused during the bail. “There is a designated staff that visits the accused’s house and tries to get more information on the crime or others involved,” DCP (central) M Harshavardhan said.

The police also reopened the history sheets for repeat offenders, and beat officers and SHOs were tasked to rephotograph the criminals, as many had changed their identities and addresses.

Technology

“To nab the accused, their fingerprints were verified on Crime Reporting and Information System to identify the antecedent,” ADCP (south) Achin Garg said.

The police also tracked social media profiles of the accused and those photographs or videos where firearms can be seen in possession.

For effective patrolling, GPS devices were attached to PCR vans. “We zeroed in on sensitive areas, crime hotspots, and different routes used by the criminals. Patrolling was enhanced on such routes,” he said.

“In south Delhi, we studied PCR calls to identify the regions where and what time most of the calls were received,” ADCP (south) Achin Garg said. Police also deployed teams at schools and colleges to check youngsters falling into crime.

Published - December 13, 2024 03:00 pm IST