Heavy rain that lashed the district last year has not just caused property loss but aided housebreaking incidents in the city both during daytime and after dusk, crime statistics compiled by the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB) show.
According to the DCRB, crime rate has gone up in the city marginally in 2013 from the 2012 figure when there was a slump in crime rate from the previous year’s rate.
The total number of offences recorded against property is 336 in 2013 whereas the figure for 2012 was 301.
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The figures were 599 in 2009; 613 in 2010 and 425 in 2011, as per the DCRB data.
Only 161 out of the 336 cases have been detected so far in 2013.
As many as 89 cases are pending trial before the court.
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Property offences are crime pertaining to murder for gain, dacoity, robbery, burglary, house-breaking at day and night, and thefts.
Four cases of dacoity were reported last year. There were 22 cases of housebreaking during daytime and 86 at night. The number of theft cases reported was 180.
Decline in robbery casesRobbery cases show a decline at 44 from the 2012 figure. Also, no cases of murder for gain were reported last year from the region.
An arrest made in 2013 for murder was over a case reported in 2012.
The case was of Sundariamma, 65, who was found murdered at her house at Vattakkinar on the outskirts of the city in July 2012. The Kozhikode Crime Branch (Hurt and Homicide Wing) arrested Jayesh aka Jabbar aka Babu, 28, a hotel cleaner, in September 2013.
The long spell of monsoon last year has been cited as a reason for the increase in property-related crimes.
There have been 42 incidents of housebreaking during night reported from residences and 28 from commercial buildings.
Four templesBurglars also targeted a bank and four temples last year. Automobile theft cases, too, have been reported, says the DCRB figures.
As many as 99 cases have been reported, of which investigators detected 48 cases. The figure under this head was 67 in (2012) and 106 (2011). Apart from this, there have been 13 incidents of stealing cash, eight cases of jewellery theft, and nine cases of pick pocketing in the city.
Cattle theftA case of cattle theft have also been recorded and it remains to be detected.
Night patrolling and installation of surveillance cameras, implementation of Janamaithri Suraksha Project (community policing programme) at various police stations and active participation of residents’ associations have helped in controlling crimes, according G. Sparjankumar, Commissioner of Police, Kozhikode city.