MANGALURU: Dakshina Kannada, which recorded a low rate of burglaries and robberies, for a few months, during the lockdown, has been witnessing a substantial rise in them, in the past two months. At least one case is reported every day in the district now, which ranges from house burglaries, theft of vehicles, burglaries at temples and robberies.
According to police officials, the theft and burglary graph is going upward after the lockdown was completely lifted, and people started moving around in the new normal. The miscreants who were waiting for the right time, struck at places which are mostly locked for a day or more. After December 2020, at least one or more such crimes are being reported every day in Dakshina Kannada and the city police commissionerate limits. The highest number of such cases are being reported in Puttur, Bantwal and Belthangady taluks.
On December 21, 2020, 9 unidentified miscreants entered the house of Tukrappa Shetty, at Kaukrady in Kadaba taluk, and robbed 30 sovereigns gold and cash. The masked men gained entry into the house, and assaulted Shetty. His wife was stabbed during the robbery.
“This is the one such recent incident, where the occupants of the house were assaulted and robbed. However, though there are robberies being reported everyday, there are no physical assaults taking place,” said a police officer, adding that theft of arecanut, vehicles and cash crops were reported in some parts of the district.
Two days ago, in a serial theft reported in Uppinangady police limits, miscreants broke into a nursery and plastic shop, and stole cash and other valuables. In order to erase traces, they used chemicals to remove fingerprints, and took away the CCTV cameras DVR.
Another senior official added that police are trying to curb such incidents, which needs cooperation from the public.
“The miscreants strike deserted houses and closed commercial establishments. There are organised syndicates, as well as others involved in this criminal activity.”