Lahore: The skyrocketing inflation and unemployment led to an alarming rise in the rate of street crime in metropolitan cities including Lahore.
Citizens who walk on the streets feel unsafe, disillusionment with the police after being a victim of an incident, and a strong perception that nothing can be done against criminals deters citizens from filing a police report.
On the other hand, after the arrival of Dolphin Squad in Lahore, the fear of being caught by street criminals has arisen, but due to the non-availability of Dolphin Squad in the required number for a big city like Lahore, there has been no significant reduction in crime.
Easy sale of stolen mobile phones, jewelery in the black market is also a reason to increase the morale of the criminals.
During the last few years, the rate of street crime in Punjab, especially in the metropolitan cities, has increased to an alarming extent, because instead of breaking into a house, shop or office, criminals stop a person or vehicle on the way and steal mobile phones, cash and jewelry. They consider returning easier and safer for themselves.
According to police officials, until recently most of the street crime incidents took place on dark streets in the evening, but now there is a significant increase in daytime incidents.
Incidents are happening more near banks, especially ATM machines, there are also more incidents on the streets around big markets for electronics, mobile phones, jewelry. People returning home from offices or places of business in the evening are robbed at their doorsteps while they are waiting for their gates to open.
Families leaving wedding halls in the evening are also a special target of street criminals. Purse snatching from women walking on the street is also common in residential areas, including large markets with rush, while citizens using mobile phones while walking are also common. There has also been a significant increase in the cases of phone snatching and absconding.
Retired SSP Rana Shahid while talking said that the criminals who commit the crime by entering a house or office are afraid of resistance while a person outside can also inform the police or neighbors, therefore, except for hardened criminals. Other criminals consider street crime safer for them.
Alone or two criminals on a motorcycle roam the streets of the streets and neighborhoods in search of their victims and commit crimes wherever they get an opportunity. Obtaining illegal weapons is very easy. The favorite weapon of street criminals is the “pistol” because It is easy to hide it in clothing, even the motorbike used in the importation is stolen or stolen.
The Punjab Safe City project has yet to prove its full effectiveness as more than 90 percent of motorcycles are not fitted with computerized number plates that can be traced.
Psychologist Dr. Hanan while speaking said that the main reason for the increase in crime is inflation and unemployment. The terrible inflation that exists at the moment has become unbearable even for the white-clad class. This is the reason why the youth of the poor class commit street crime for their domestic needs and for their private pleasures.
Crimes are also committed to obtain financial resources to meet the growing trend of “showmanship” in society, 95% of street crimes involve the majority of illiterate or poorly educated youths, but a few such suspects are also caught. Gone are those who are educated and used to commit crimes just because they were inspired by movies or to scare their friends.
Talking to Express, Khawaja Ziaur Rahman, a victim of street crime, said that one day he was buying fruit from a shop to go to his friend’s house and his valuable mobile phone was in his hand. The young man on board turned on near them and after a few minutes snatched the phone from my hand and ran away.
Naheed Khalid, a woman who was a victim of street crime, said that she had just left her house to buy vegetables when two boys on a motorcycle snatched her purse from her hand. The citizens said that the number of Dolphin Force should be increased to control the incidents of street crime.
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