Frequent cases of burglaries in pawn broker and jewellery shops, cooperative banks and financial institutions in the districts falling under the Tiruchi Range, have given sleepless nights to the police department. And this is at a time when the law enforcing machinery has sunk its teeth into checking property offences.
Superintendents of Police of Tiruchi Rural, Pudukottai, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Karur districts in the Tiruchi Range have been instructed to step up vigil . Written communication has been sent to the unit officers of the five districts on the surge in crime rates and the need to prevent them .
Under Tiruchi rural jurisdiction, burglars reportedly decamped with nearly 13 sovereigns gold jewellery and silver articles from a pawn broker shop at Pettavaithalai, a few km from the city. The robbers broke open a portion of the rear wall of the shop by using a crowbar and made away with the valuables kept inside the locker. The case is under investigation.
In another incident reported last month, unidentified persons targeted a primary agricultural cooperative credit society at Andhanallur near Jeeyapuram and stole nearly one kg of gold jewellery. The burglars smashed the shutter lock to gain entry and then pulled down a wall dividing the office and the room where the safe vaults were kept. They twisted one of the safe vaults and took away the gold jewellery stashed in different packets. The cooperative credit society that had been giving jewellery loans, did not have a watchman, according to the police.
Cases of robberies and attempt to burgle pawn broker shops, jewellery shops and cooperative institutions have been reported in Pudukottai district. Cases have been registered within Kottaipattinam, Keeramangalam, Keeranur, Illupur, Ganesh Nagar and Alangudi police station limits. Over 200 sovereigns of gold jewellery were reportedly looted. Similar incidents have also been reported in Perambalur and Karur districts, police sources said.
SPs have been asked to periodically conduct meetings with jewellery shop owners and officials of financial institutions, with a view to educating and creating awareness of safety and security, said the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tiruchi Range, A.Amalraj.
The SPs have been directed to advise jewellery shop owners to install burglar alarms in their establishments and fix surveillance cameras with recording facilities .
They have also been asked to march regular beats and keep ‘patta' books of such commercial establishments .
