After rise in thefts, Borivli residents get direct line to the cops

One of the posters from the awareness campaign being put up by the police

As a result of the rising number of thefts and robberies in Borivli's IC Colony, the local police have begun an awareness campaign in housing societies. Posters listing precautions to take and required contact numbers of police officers, etc. have been put up in residential buildings besides awareness through the managing committees of the housing societies.

The MHB police station which covers IC Colony has revived this old practice of awareness campaigns with housing societies to garner active support of residents to prevent robberies. While efforts are already being taken by the police along with residents and local corporator for holding night vigils, this is another step to ensure that all citizens are alert.

"This is not a particularly new concept as this list of precautions to take by citizens existed for a long time. Amid pandemic, considering the current situation, we have revived it. We visit housing societies to put up the posters in common areas and have a talk with the managing committee," said Pandit Thakare, senior police inspector of the MHB police station who earlier had held a meeting with the locals from IC Colony to resolve their doubts and to brainstorm on how collaborative efforts can be taken in order to avoid robberies or thefts. Following the meeting, a night vigil group of watchmen was formed with the initiative of the former corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar. "The night vigil has been effective, as some days later, a thief was nabbed by the watchmen of three housing societies from I C Colony.

This new step of awareness is to ensure more alert citizens," said Ghosalkar.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Borivli division) Sunil Vadake, said, "If out of over 20 instructions in the given list even half are instilled in the minds of the citizens, we are much ahead in fighting such crimes. Even as they know most of these instructions, having to read them in common areas where you keep passing every now and then, works as a great reminder. While police are performing their regular routine, it is not possible to be available everywhere all the time. Alert citizens are very important."

Also Read: Mumbai: Hire watchmen and get CCTV cameras, cops tell IC Colony residents

According to the police, due to the pandemic, even the police department is short-staffed and it is an advantage to have an army of alert citizens around. Thakare said, "There are many houses currently locked, as several citizens have moved base, also because of the facility of work from home. Since most of these arrangements were sudden in nature, they have not been able to take additional precautions such as keeping money, valuable ornaments in the bank, etc. Moreover, due to the nature of this disease, most of the people are confined to their homes and are not looking out in their neighbourhood as much as they used to before."

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