Pickpocket: Stay alert at these 12 Metro stations

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has identified 12 Metro stations from where the maximum number of theft and pickpocketing cases are reported. According to police, they have enhanced their patrolling and alertness of staff in the vulnerable stations. Police sources said that the Metro stations are Yamuna Bank Depot, Netaji Subhash Place, RK Ashram, Karol Bagh, Kashmere Gate, Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazar, New Delhi, Rajiv Chowk, Inderlok, Kirti Nagar and Central Secretariat.

The Delhi Police data claimed that till October, 723 cases of pickpocketing were reported in which 167 were solved. 3,679 mobile theft cases were reported in which 1,196 cases were worked out. Overall till November 15, about 6,007 cases were reported in Metro Police stations. The working out percentage has been increased from 27 per cent to 34 per cent. "Cases were also transferred to other police stations after it was found that incidents took outside the jurisdiction of Metro Police," police said.

An official said that they have given focus on mobile phone theft and this year as many as 190 mobile phones were recovered. The data revealed that about 117 cell phones were recovered through on spot arrest of pickpocketers whereas 73 phones were

recovered after technical investigation. "Pickpockets hardly take few minutes to commit the crime. Mostly they target crowded stations or metro trains," an officer said.

The investigation in mobile theft cases revealed that stolen phones were either sold to common people or shops at a meagre price. "The accused were drug addicts and to fulfil their needs they started stealing cell phones," an officer said. Deputy Commissioner of

Police (Metro) Vikram K Porwal said that they are also preparing a compendium of active mobile thieves in Metro jurisdiction.

Further, DCP said that they have identified a few women gangs who were involved in theft cases. "Preventive action was taken against them," said Porwal. Talking about their modus operandi, an officer said that inside metro trains or stations, the gang surrounds the victim and picks the pocket or commits theft of the articles from the bag. They generally pickpocket for cash and steal the gold ornaments from bags of victims.

DCP Porwal said that they have increased their visibility in Metro jurisdiction and staff are deployed in plain clothes. "CCTVs are minutely being observed to check suspicious movement," added Porwal.