Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Police warn of rise in burglaries during monsoon season

Staff Reporter

Burglars likely to take advantage of rainy nights and power disruptions

Thiruvananthapuram: There could be an increase in night time burglaries in the city during monsoon, according to police officials. Burglars are likely to take advantage of rainy nights and power disruptions, which are characteristic of the season.

As many as 63 burglaries were reported in the city this year between January and March. Out of this, more than 43 housebreaks occurred at night. In 2006, 197 burglaries were reported in the city, of which 119 happened at night. A considerable number of burglaries in 2006 occurred during the rainy season. According to the police, the negligence on the part of house owners has often worked to the advantage of thieves. Ill secured and feeble doors, particularly those leading to the terrace and backyard, are easy entry points for burglars.

Branches of trees growing close to the house also provide thieves easy access to the terrace and top floor balconies. The police have advised citizens to prune such branches for better security against burglars.

Ideally, ladders, garden tools and sharp instruments should be kept locked inside the house. In most cases reported last year, burglars used household implements left outside to break into houses.

Families, who leave their homes unoccupied for several days at a stretch, should inform the police or the Maithri Suraksha Scheme volunteers in their neighbourhood. The should also seek the help of residents’ association volunteers to ensure that newspapers and mail are not left to accumulate on the veranda. Such indications, including lights burning during day time, are a giveaway that nobody is at home. An official said that ‘slam-shut’ locks offered better protection than padlocks. Safety chains and peepholes should be installed as a defence against unwelcome guests and intruders. Ideally, all valuable property should be insured against theft.

“Large amounts of cash and gold are best left in bank lockers. Costly possessions, particularly cars, should be etched with an identification number (the owner’s driving licence or passport number) for making detection and recovery of loot easier for the police. The front and rear of the house should be well lit at night. ” An official said it was not advisable to sleep near open windows. Bedrooms should be locked from inside at night. In the event of a break-in, residents should ensure that the crime scene is well protected till the police and fingerprint experts arrived.

The police also warned citizens against employing strangers and persons with dubious background as domestic servants. The police said burglars often struck between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. and used early morning buses and trains to leave the city with the night’s loot. The detection rate in burglary cases was relatively low compared to serious crimes such as armed robbery, murder and cheating.

An official said stolen property, particularly gold and currency, changed hands fast and was hard to trace. The police were also concerned about the entry of a new set of burglars, who do not figure in police records.

The police also got information that some migrant groups specialising in burglaries were headed for the district. They were also tracking the movements of known burglars who had been just released from prison.

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