Hyderabad: Cops alert as pocket pickers on prowl near pandals

Hyderabad: With the ten-day Ganesh festivities having commenced, the police anticipate a rise in cases of mobile phone thefts and chain snatchings at pandals and their vicinities. To deal with it, senior officials of the tri-commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda Police have asked the crime teams to be on alert. In the last couple […]

Hyderabad: With the ten-day Ganesh festivities having commenced, the police anticipate a rise in cases of mobile phone thefts and chain snatchings at pandals and their vicinities. To deal with it, senior officials of the tri-commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda Police have asked the crime teams to be on alert.

In the last couple of days, people had approached various police stations and lodged complaints regarding losing their mobile phones and other articles to pocket pickers. One such victim, Muralidhar, who had lost his phone three days ago, complained that he had gone to the market to purchase an idol when his mobile phone was stolen.

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“So far we received four complaints of persons losing their mobile phones at markets and commercial establishments during rush hour shopping for the festival. Cases have been registered and we are trying to trace them,” said a Sub-Inspector from Kukatpally police station.

After analysing property offences in the last few years during the festive season, the police have identified the crime spots and asked the local crime teams and Central Crime Station staff to continuously maintain a vigil.

“Pocket pickers usually mix with the crowd and commit theft of mobile phones and gold ornaments. We are posting plainclothes policemen at important Ganesh pandals to keep a tab on the thieves,” said S Raghavendra, Inspector, Task Force (South) team.

Closed circuit cameras were installed at most of the Ganesh pandals in the city for better monitoring of the crowd and their security.

“At big pandals where thousands of people visit each day to offer prayers, we have ensured that CCTV cameras are installed and activity monitored round the clock,” said ACP Falaknuma M A Majid. The police have also put up banners and are using public announcement systems to alert visitors to pandals, he added.

Further, the police beat constables including Blue Colts and patrol vehicles will be patrolling the areas and routes leading to the Ganesh pandals in mornings and evenings to check incidents of chain snatchings.

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