News
Alarm over rise in chain snatching from women, robberies and thefts
View(s):By Senuka Jayakody
An increase in robberies targeting women walking along the road has been observed in recent weeks, complaints and arrests made by police indicate.
Cases of snatching gold chains from women walking on roads have shown an increase, along with other thefts, robberies, and burglaries.
Apart from gold chains, women have also been robbed of mobile phones, bracelets, pendants and money, police said.
They said that in recent weeks, several incidents of three-wheelers, motorcycles, laptops, and other valuable items being stolen had been reported. Even a medical store had been broken into and equipment stolen.
Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said he believed there was a correlation between the rise in the price of narcotics drugs and robberies and thefts.
Rejecting claims there was a substantial rise in the crime rate, the Senior Superintendent of Police said regular telecasts of robberies caught on CCTV cameras had created a public impression that crimes had increased.
However, citing research findings, the spokesman said the crime rate generally showed an upward spike in times of economic hardships.
Sociologist and Colombo University’s Emeritus professor S. Hettige said robberies and thefts would increase during hyperinflation periods and it was not unusual in crisis-hit Sri Lanka when people in the lowest brackets of society were unable to buy their basic needs which had seen a three-fold price increase, while there was no increase in their income.
“Under economic pressure, people need more and more money, but no money is received,” the Professor said, pointing out that even employers were not in a position to increase workers’ salaries.
The Professor called for efficient law enforcement with a dedicated law enforcement body in charge of curtailing the robberies and thefts. However, he said he was doubtful it could happen given the fact that law enforcers themselves were affected by the economic crisis.
Prof. Hettige said successive governments had not taken precautionary measures to tackle the problem of crimes. He explained that the mismanagement of social transformation since the opening up of the economy in 1977 onward had led to this result.
“Like doctors, we sociologists can diagnose, but taking the medicine prescribed is up to the Government,” the Professor stated.
Meanwhile, acting on complaints, police made a number of arrests in recent weeks. This week, two suspects were arrested by the Gampaha’s Divisional Crime Investigation Unit over a robbery involving four gold necklaces. Police said the suspects had got the necklaces melted and made pellets out of them.
The suspects were residents of Ja-Ela and Udugampola. They were produced in the Gampaha Magistrate Court on September 8 and remanded.
On September 2, the Mount Lavinia police arrested two suspects for allegedly possessing a stolen bracelet, a necklace, a purse, and a pendant. The suspects, residents of Ratmalana and Wadduwa, had been remanded after they were produced in the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s court, police said.
Also on September 2, the Western Province (South) Crime Division Police arrested a 28-year-old suspect, a resident of Ratmalana, for allegedly stealing a necklace and a mobile phone from a woman walking on the road. He was produced in the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court and remanded.
On the same day, investigations by the Gamapaha police led to the arrest of two suspects, aged 24 and 27, in Ganemulla. It is alleged that the suspects had used a motorcycle to snatch away gold chains from people walking on the roads. They were remanded by the Gampaha Magistrate.
Three suspects were arrested on August 30 in connection with a house-breaking in Mulleriyawa. They are alleged to have robbed several electronic appliances from the house.
Recently, there was also a burglary at the Sri Lanka Telecom Media Room in Padukka. The burglars got away with three cameras, two flashers, a light stand and several items. The total value of the items is said to be around Rs. 778,000. Two suspects were later arrested. They were remanded by the Avissawella Magistrate.
Mulleriyawa Police arrested two suspects for allegedly breaking into a store room of a Colombo hospital and stealing a range of medical equipment. The suspects were produced before the Hulfsdorp Magistrate’s court and remanded.
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