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Robbery on the rise as new gangs appear in scene

SuLTANA RAHMAN
Burglars and low-profile criminals are now forming gangs to commit robbery in the city which is on the rise despite recent tightening of law enforcement to curb crime.
Sources said the new faces have appeared in the scene as most of the top listed criminals have gone into hiding in the wake of anticrime drive of Rab (Rapid Action Battalion).
According to police records, more than 1,000 teenage robbers are now active in the city operating small groups in different areas, especially the peripheries where the anticrime drives are less frequent.
These low-profile robbers who are not on the police list prefer Mirpur, Kafrul, Pallabi, Mohammadpur, Shyampur and Demra areas.
"We have found that most of the recent robberies have taken place in these areas," said SM Mizanur Rahman, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
He said the robbers have chosen these areas as they
can escape arrest and hide in the narrow lanes after committing crime. Police cannot reach the spot on time due to poor condition of roads.
Police records show 40 incidents of robbery took place in the city from January to June this year against 29 during the same period last year. Around 200 robbers were arrested in the last six months.
"Robbery has increased due to a vigorous drive against drug business in the city. Those who were earlier involved in drug peddling have now chosen robbery," said the DMP commissioner.
"We are gathering information about these young criminals and making a new list. It will help us curb robbery," Rahman said. The robbers who were already arrested are disclosing few names of these new faces.
A gang of robbers on July 14 looted cash and valuables from the house of a businessman at Lalbagh. Police said the robbers entered the house of Shahnoor Islam Swapan, confined the inmates to a room and took away Tk 50,000, gold ornaments and other valu-
ables.
Police could not yet arrest any of the robbers. Lalbagh police said they do not have any clue. They suspect that a gang of non-listed criminals might have committed the robbery.
An officer at Lalbagh Police Station said they earlier maintained a list of criminals and when any incident took place, they used to follow the list while investigating the crime.
In the wake of rising robbery, DMP is going to step up motorbike patrolling, deploy additional police teams and make a new list of criminals involved in such crimes.
DMP, meanwhile, issued letters to banks, financial institutions, shopping complexes and business organisations in the city to install closed circuit televisions to help check crimes.
"We are planning to form separate teams headed by sub-inspectors to investigate the robbery cases only. It will develop expertise in investigating robberies," the DMP commissioner said.