‘Gangs from outside city behind recent break-ins’

Inspector Sunil Pawar of Unit III of crime who made the arrest said, “We have observed that most of the incidents that are taking place in the recent past are recorded from the fringe areas and specially those along or near the highways. The interrogation of the arrested suspects show that they are choosing these building as it is easy for them to flee out of Pune immediately after the break-ins. They have also told us that the highrise buildings in these areas have a majority of people working in IT and corporate sector who are their targets for obvious reasons.”

Pawar added, “Almost all the break-ins that have been solved recently have been done in the daytime and between 11 am and 3 pm when most houses are locked and people are out for work. These buildings have floors where all the flats are locked and thus are the best targets for these gangs.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Manoj Patil said, “It has been observed that the housing societies do not have adequate closed circuit surveillance systems. Enough security guards are not there. It has been observed that these criminals have targeted the housing societies, godowns or shops which do not have security guards.”

When asked about the lower police presence in fringe areas, Patil said, “Yes that has been a problem. But more personnel have been diverted to the central part of city because of the greater number of law and order issues and crimes. The fringe areas on the other hand have less law and order issues so get smaller chunks. However these police stations have larger areas and more population too.”