Daylight burglaries in Lajpat Nagar leave police perplexed

As many as 32 burglaries, including 13 committed in broad daylight, at South-east Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar locality in only four months have thrown cops into a tizzy. Out of the 32, the police have so far been able to solve only four cases including the one out of the four daylight incidents, said police on Tuesday.

Reacting to that, the police partially blamed the resident welfare associations (RWAs) who have failed to employ security guards, said an official.

“The burglary figures are indeed alarming as only 11 of them, including one day-light burglary, were reported in 2014. This year, we have almost touched thrice the total figure in one-third of the year,” said a police official.

He further said that most of the burglars strike only at certain zones, which include blocks E, F, G and I of Lajpat Nagar 1 — pretending to be courier delivery men. Even if they are stopped by someone, they pretend that they are looking for a random address. 

After motor vehicle thefts, with as many as 149 cases reported so far this year, it is burglary that torments residents of Lajpat Nagar, informed a senior official. To handle the menace, the cops are now trying to raise awareness and have been asking Lajpat Nagar residents to resort to certain alternatives. First, to get the lock system affixed to the ground, which has been found to be a tough nut to crack for the burglars. Second, is to keep the lights switched on, which they claim — in more of a psychological way — saves the concerned premise from being the burglar’s target. Third is to ensure stronger protection for the back door of the premises, which is broken open in most cases. 

In almost all the cases between 2014 and 2015, the burglars were found to have come from other states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A few of them, in fact, were to stay in the city for a day and commit as many burglaries as they could in a matter of few hours, the official added.