Cops organise meetings with residents to reduce crimes

NAVI MUMBAI: In view of increasing crimes such as burglary, chain snatching and robbery, the Navi Mumbai police are conducting meetings with residents and creating awareness among them.

“More and more residents are falling prey to burglars and robbers. Chain- snatching cases are also being reported almost every day,” said Suresh Mengade, deputy commissioner of police (special branch).

“We are doing our best to reduce crimes, but it is not possible without proper cooperation of the residents. We appeal to the residents to cooperate with us to make Navi Mumbai a better place to live in,” he said.

A senior police officer from Kopar Khairane police station said, “Installation of CCTV cameras is important in housing societies as they help in solving crimes. Unfortunately, very few societies have installed CCTV cameras in their buildings so far.”

“In the gaothan areas several single men and women who work in the IT sector, are staying on rent. Once they leave for their offices, the whole building becomes a deserted place. Taking advantage, the culprits break into houses. Their landlords also don’t deploy any security guards to look after these buidings,” he said.

The police are conducting meetings with senior citizens for ensuring their safety.

“Several people from Navi Mumbai work in Mumbai and they leave for offices in the early morning. The senior citizens are left at home either alone or with the maids. It is important to take measures for ensuring safety of these people,” Mengade said.

“It has been observed that many people take their tenants and domestic helps for granted and become dependent on them. This is not a healthy phenomenon,” said NG Majge, police inspector from Nerul police station.

“Even security guards should not be used for a personal works. There are instances, wherein the security gurads of housing societies turned robbers and molesters,” he said.

Installation of CCTV cameras is important in housing societies as they help in solving crimes. Only some societies have installed CCTVs in their buildings.

A SENIOR POLICE OFFICER, Kopar Khairane police station