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Burglaries boom: Your house could be the next target
By Chris Kamalendran
Every third crime reported to the police in Sri Lanka is a case of housebreaking or theft in a house, according to latest police statistics.There has been a marked increase in burglaries and thefts targeting houses, especially in areas such as Negombo, Mount Lavinia, Kelaniya and Gampaha -- with some 18,500 of 59,000 criminal cases recorded last year coming under this category.
Mount Lavinia is one area where police are facing a daunting task to keep the crime rate low.

A resident from Mount Lavinia said there had been six daytime burglaries in his neighbourhood recently. Police attribute the increase in burglaries and thefts in Mount Lavinia – where some 1,674 cases of housebreaking and thefts had been recorded last year – to the large influx of destitute tsunami refugees and the fast growing urban sprawl.

“A large number of outstation people who work in factories live in boarding houses or annexes and they work long hours. This has encouraged burglars to carry out their task with ease,” a police officer said.Superintendent K. Arasaratnam said that in many cases, the burglaries or thefts take place due to carelessness.

“In some cases we have found that they have locked the door and kept the key under the rug or have locked all the valuables in a cupboard and leave the key on top of it,” the SP said. He said some female domestic aides also abet the crime after burglars lure them into friendship.

“We have always told the people to be vigilant. But seldom, they heed our advice,” SP Arasaratnam said. In Negombo, the number of housebreaking and thefts exceeded more than 2000 during the last year and continues to grow. However, the reasons for burglaries and thefts in the Negombo area were different from those in Mt. Lavina, according to SP Arasaratnam who earlier served in Negombo.

“There are many isolated houses on large coconut estates. In some cases, the chief occupants are abroad and it is only their wives and children who live in the houses. It is these houses that have become the target of burglars,” he said.

The SP also said the lifestyle of the youth in the areas was also a reason for the high rate of crimes because they needed money. “Another factor is that coconut land owners employ strangers on short-term basis, providing them lodging and employment. Some of these people steal valuables from the house before they disappear,” the SP said.

Among the other areas gaining notoriety for housebreaking and thefts are Kelaniya with 1,441 cases last year and Gampaha with 1,105 cases. Outside the Western province, Ratnapura district accounts for the highest number of cases with 1,084 complaints being reported last year. Other areas that top the list are Anuradhapura (797), Panadura (691), Chilaw (508) and Jaffna (378).

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