CHENNAI: Locked homes in the city continue to be easy targets for burglars. According to sources in Chennai police, over 30 complaints of house break-ins were received in the last three months.

In many of the cases, the burglars got away with valuables when the occupants were away. The incidents had occurred either between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. or between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Independent homes that had no security personnel or alarms to draw the attention of the neighbours were prime targets, police said.

Two-wheelers parked for long in front of apartments or shopping malls and even in public parking spaces had also been reported missing in recent months.

Over the last two months, jewels weighing over 40 sovereigns were found missing from locked houses in Adyar, Maduravoyal and Madipakkam, while cash and other valuables, including electronic gadgets, were stolen from houses in Nanganallur, Ashok Nagar, Tambaram, Selaiyur, Madhavaram, Nungambakkam, K.K.Nagar, Choolaimedu police station limits.

Police officials say that many major cases of house breaking and `grille burglaries' were reported from CIT Colony, Rajamangalam, Abiramapuram, Alwarpet in the last quarter of 2006.

With plenty of new homes coming up in the city, reports of missing properties are on the rise. Police, however, claim to be proactive and taking measures to prevent crimes.

However, the police have not caught any thief red handed or helped prevent a major burglary or theft. It was only after receiving complaints of house break-ins that special teams were formed, according to sources.

Commissioner of Police Letika Saran told reporters recently that night patrolling had been stepped up. A retired senior IPS officer suggested that police could think of reintroducing cycle patrols in crime prone areas, instead of relying on two-wheelers and cars and jeeps.

A Deputy Commissioner of Police, speaking on condition of anonymity, said special teams had been formed to probe various cases, but due to shortage of personnel, the department was unable to cope with both its regular duties and investigation of such cases. Filling up existing vacancies and calling on the armed police for night patrolling could help prevent break-ins, he said.

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