Poor security makes us easy targets, say city traders
DEMAND The jewellers’ community has pressed for better police support
LUCKNOW: Jewellers, traders and businessmen of the city said that they were easy prey for criminals. They lamented that despite robbery and burglary at their establishments making newspaper headlines, such incidents continued to happen. Recent incident of daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Mulayam Nagar on Sunday and the burglary at a jewellery showroom in Kapoorthala in the wee hours of Monday were glaring examples, they said.
“The onus is on both the police administration as well our community,” said Sanjay Gupta, president of UP Adarsh Vyapar Mandal. He added, “I visited both the crime spots (in Mulayam Nagar and Kapoorthala) and came to the conclusion that we have to take steps to ensure our safety. In this, we will also need support of police authorities.”
Senior superintendent of police, Manzil Saini also admitted that such incidents could be curbed only through proper coordination between cops and traders. She however added that it was high time that traders invested more on ensuring the security of their establishments. “Security alarms, trained and armed security guards, restricted entry, multiple checkpoints and close circuit television cameras are investments that will help. There are multiple ways of strengthening the security of any place of business,” Saini emphasised, adding, “Traders should also cross-check credentials of the people they hire. Those with a criminal bent of mind can be a major risk. Such people can tip off their accomplices about transactions and safety details.”
Saini further suggested that traders should maintain dossiers of their previous employees, so that their roles could be crosschecked when required.
Another trade leader, Rajkumar Yadav said that criminals never targeted any outlet randomly but carried out proper reconnaissance or had access to insider information.
In case of Mulayam Nagar dacoity, he added, the criminals carried out a scouting exercise before zeroing in on the shop. “They knew that CCTV cameras were installed there and had their faces covered. Some more alertness about the visitors coming to the shop and people standing nearby for no reason could have averted the incident,” said Yadav, adding, “Cops should also strengthen their intelligence gathering methods. Pan shops and roadside vendors around jewellery shops and other establishments with large monetary transactions are treasure-troves of information. Criminals often get initial information from such places.”
Another trader, Ashish Gupta asserted on proper supervision of investigation by senior cops. “They should ensure that their subordinates do not work on bogus solutions as that emboldens the criminals further and more crimes are committed. Also, police often don’t focus on recovery of robbed items, thus providing financial edge to criminals,” said Gupta. Businessman Gyanendra Upadhaya spoke about the importance of creating awareness. “Cops should organise awareness camps to let us know how to best handle such situations, keep tabs on suspicious visitors and enhance the security at our establishments,” he said. Traders also demanded intensified police patrolling in market places.