“When we woke up in the morning, we were shocked to see our gates wide open. Our daughter’s bicycle, which was out in the open, was missing. There were tell-tale signs that the thieves had tried to gain access to a section of the house through the balcony gate to steal my laptop.”
An account of a resident of 1st Cross Street at Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar in Thiruvanmiyur.
The resident, who has requested that his identity be kept under wraps, has reported the incident to the police and is waiting to hear from them.
In recent times, Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar has been hit by petty thefts. According to residents, bicycles seem to be the main target of these thieves. In some houses, laptops have also gone missing.
While the Thiruvanmiyur police have started an exercise to put a lid on the increasing crime in the locality, residents are considering plugging holes that make it easy for these thieves to strike.
The police have started night patrolling in the locality. A log book is kept at the entrance to the colony, near Kalakshetra Road.
“Police personnel usually go on rounds, around 11 p.m. But patrolling is required between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., which is prime time for burglars,” says Balaji N., a resident of the area.
Residents’ initiative
Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association is considering having a patrol team consisting of residents, to supplement the work of the police. Besides that, it has collected money from residents to install CCTV cameras across the locality.
Balaji is among a handful of residents who have expressed interest in being part of the residents’ patrol team, but the Association has deferred the decision to start one. It wants more volunteers to come on board before launching the exercise.
“As there is a vast area to cover, the police patrol team alone is not enough. As responsible citizens we have to start patrolling our streets. Though this is going to be difficult as most of us are working, we could take turns and work out a system,” said Harsha.
According to police, burglars mostly target independent houses. Radhakrishnan Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association is spread across nine streets with many independent houses and small-sized apartments.
There are watchmen in some of the houses, but they are not fit enough to guard the houses. We have arranged more patrol teams and ensured tightened security in the area, said police.
CCTV cameras
“Whenever we have made a complaint, the police have responded promptly. However, due to the lack of CCTV cameras, they have been unable to identify the thieves,” says Dhinakar Rao, adding that the Association has decided to install 40 cameras in 17 locations.
The cameras will be fixed in areas between Kalakshetra Road and MG Road.