Fake cops and robbers spark panic across city
Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Criminal activity in city has surged dramatically, with the first eight days of May witnessing a sharp spike in thefts, robberies, and burglaries. In this short span, 29 two-wheelers have been stolen, 15 houses burgled, and 12 citizens robbed many in broad daylight. The alarming rise in such incidents has raised serious concerns over the effectiveness of city policing.
Even more worrying is the increasing presence of chain-snatching gangs on motorcycles, who specifically target elderly citizens, women, and lone pedestrians. On Tuesday night alone, two gold chain snatching cases were reported within a 2-km stretch between Trimurti Chowk and Sutgirni Chowk. In the first case, Savita Gaikwad (45) of Trimurti Chowk had her 1-tola gold mangalsutra snatched by bike-borne miscreants on May 6. Just minutes later, Shilpa Ashtekar (50) of Nath Prangan lost her gold chain to similar culprits near Sutgirni Chowk, while out with her family for ice cream. Both cases were reported to Jawaharnagar and Pundliknagar police stations respectively.
Daylight burglaries on the rise
On May 7, three separate daylight burglaries shook city residents.
• Ramnath Jadhav of Padegaon returned from work to find his house ransacked and 3 tolas of gold missing.
• Shalini Nair of Shahanoor Miyan Dargah Chowk reported a loss of Rs 10,000 in cash and 1 tola of gold between 9.30 am and 2 pm.
• In Waluj, Ganesh Mahasroop reported a theft of 1 tola of gold and Rs 2,500 within just an hour.
These incidents point to growing boldness among thieves, who now operate in daylight with little fear of arrest.
Crime Statistics (May 1–8)
Crime Type Reported Cases
Two-wheeler thefts 29
Chain snatchings 12
House burglaries 15
Crime hotspots identified
Police stations under severe pressure due to repeated incidents include:
Jawaharnagar, which leads in chain snatching and impersonation cases, followed by Pundliknagar, MIDC Waluj, Waluj, Kranti Chowk, MIDC Cidco, Usmanpura, and Satara. Despite this, there appears to be no concrete response from the crime branch or local police units. No special drives, night patrolling measures, or community engagement campaigns have been launched to reassure citizens or curb this rising tide of lawlessness.