What’s more concerning is the way these criminals are operating. According to some CCTV footage and other photos provided by citizens, the criminals appear ice-cold while committing these crimes. In the dead of night, they roam in society freely without any fear of the law. This has been happening in housing societies, bungalows, and settlements.

How Is Crime Being Committed?

According to local residents, unidentified people are seen roaming across the streets of Pimple Nilakh and Vishal Nagar during the daytime. They are conducting reiki during the day, where they inspect potential properties that they can hit at night. Then, they arrive at night at the places they identified earlier as easy targets.

They are using a spray that temporarily makes the CCTV inefficient and damages its vision capture. It usually lasts for half an hour, which is enough time for them to strike their target and leave. They also have innovative techniques to bust open doors of the properties without making any noise to avoid unwanted attention. According to the residents, for the past few months, almost daily, an attempted robbery has been reported in this area.

Residents Express Concerns

A woman resident of Pimple Nilakh reached out to The Free Press Journal. She requested anonymity due to personal reasons and not wanting the attention. A fortnight ago, her house was broken into. She said, “Around 15 days ago, things were stolen from my house. A couple of people calmly came into the society by jumping through the wall. I have been living in Mumbai for the past few days. My permanent residence is in Pimple Nilakh. Somehow, the thieves knew my flat was empty. They broke into the flat and took away cash and valuables. We have reported the matter to the police.”

The woman continued, “Even my neighbour’s house was broken into and things were stolen. Many such reports have been repeated in this area. Despite my not staying there, I learned that many incidents of burglary and chain-snatching are being repeated. I think there is a gang living near our area that is targeting us.”

‘Lack of Policing a Concern’

Socially active resident of Vishal Nagar, Anil Gawade, told The Free Press Journal, “The area of Pimple Nilakh needs a police post as soon as possible. We have been demanding it for over five years, but still, there is no update. Last year, Pimpri-Chinchwad Police apparently approved it, but it hasn’t been set up. Vishal Nagar and Pimple Nilakh areas have no nearby police establishments.”

Gawade said the area acts as a border for Wakad and Sangvi Police Stations within the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate (PCPC). Both police stations are too far from the area, meaning it takes the police at least 20 minutes to reach here. “There is loads of confusion among residents regarding police jurisdiction; it needs to be sorted out,” he added.

Residents also observed that the Pimple Nilakh area, in particular, acts as a border of the PCPC and the Pune Police Commissionerate jurisdiction. Geographical reasons are cited as to why there are fewer police patrols in the area.

‘Fear of Leaving Home’

With burglaries and chain-snatching increasing, residents have expressed fear of leaving their homes even for work. “If we go out, some thieves might try to rob us. Even if that doesn’t happen, some might break into our house. What shall we do?” asked Suhas Kadam, a senior citizen living in the nearby Rakshak Nagar area.

These problems are compounded by addas where gambling, open consumption of alcohol, and other illegal activities take place. These have added to the burden of both police and residents. One resident explained that many areas lack proper CCTV footage that can clearly capture people’s faces. “Some of them are too far, or some of them have unusual angles. Faces and other movements are not caught clearly,” he explained.

Stay Calm, Stay Together, Says the Police

When FPJ reached out to Police Inspector (Crime) Amol Nandekar of Sangvi Police Station, he claimed that efforts are ongoing to prevent crimes and arrest the accused. He said, “The police station has received some of the complaints. We have determined there is no gang. Residents don’t need to panic. Our investigation is ongoing.”

PI Nandekar further said, “The spray causes CCTV to get damaged temporarily. But some CCTV cameras catch the movements of these accused. So they will be tracked. Police have other methods of tracking wanted people, too.”

When PI Nandekar was told about residents’ panic, he said, “Residents should remain calm. They should form close-knit communities. Security guards should do their duty honestly. If someone is leaving home, they should tell their neighbours to keep an eye on their house. If citizens do these proactive duties, crime rates will definitely fall.”