Snatching data shows dip but street reality different
Several cases of the street crime lodged as theft in police FIRS
NEWDELHI: Delhi Police have been registering several cases of snatching as simple theft, found an HT analysis of crime data between January 1 and September 20, in a practice that experts said may explain the Capital’s declining street crime numbers at a time when anecdotal accounts suggest it is one of the biggest problems plaguing the city.
In at least 100 FIRS registered in the aforementioned ninemonth period that HT reviewed, victims complained to Delhi Police that bike-borne assailants “snatched” their belongings – such as jewellery, money or mobile phones -- but police registered first information reports (FIRS) under Section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) instead of Sections 356 (assault or criminal force to commit theft) and 392 (robbery).
The maximum sentence under Section 379 is three years, that under Section 356 is two years and under Section 392 is 10 years.
In the Delhi Police crime table classification, “snatching” and “theft” fall under different heads. While snatching -- force used to commit the theft of property -- is a street crime, theft is not. If a snatching case is filed under theft, it doesn’t get added to the city’s street crime numbers. This is important because Deals with theft, which is not a street crime
Delhi Police data shows the number of snatching cases decreased from 9,571 in 2016 to 6,932 last year – a 27% dip. Corresponding decline between Sept 15 last year and this year is roughly 4% They pertain to assault or criminal force to commit theft, and robbery
Under the Delhi Police’s crime classification system, snatching is a street crime, theft is not. So, if a complaint of snatching is filed under theft, it doesn’t add to the city’s street crime numbers. Experts say these numbers are important because they are a direct reflection of the city’s law-and-order situation experts say street crime is seen as a direct reflection of a city’s law-and-order situation and policing.
“The number of street crime is the direct consequence of the state of law-and-order in the city,” said LN Rao, a former deputy commissioner of Delhi Police.
Over the past two weeks, Delhi Police has said street crimes such as snatching and robberies are on the decline due to tough measures even as
But cases of “other theft” noticed a jump of 79% in the same period. The jump between Sept 15 last year and this year is 48%. Experts say this practice is called “technical burking” of data We make every effort to check that complaints are registered truthfully and under correct sections. There may be stray cases at the police station level... We will take action
Deputy commissioner of police
Snatching figures will definitely come down if you register all cases as theft. By doing this, you are letting criminals have a field day. There is a clear distinction between theft and snatching
Former DCP, Delhi Police
reports have poured in of increasingly violent snatching incidents in the heart of Delhi, some in broad daylight. These include the murder of a man in Sagarpur during a snatching attempt, the violent assault on a woman near the Delhi Zoo, and motorbike-riding criminals chasing a couple through the streets of central Delhi.
According to Delhi Police crime data, the number of cases of snatching decreased from 9,571 in 2016 to 6,932 last year – a fall of around 27%. The corresponding decline between September 15 last year and this year is roughly 4%.
But in the same time period, cases of “other theft” – which covers less serious crimes such as pickpocketing and loss of belongings -- went up from 77,563 in 2016 to 138,596 last year – a jump of 79%. The increase between September 15 last year and this year is 48%.
Legal experts and former