KOCHI: Two recent murders of elderly women, in Kothamangalam and Adimali, during robbery attempts have raised concerns about the increase in robbery, theft, dacoity and burglary cases in the state. Police data confirm that such cases have been on the rise since 2023.
According to official data, as many as 790 cases of theft were registered in the state in January and February of this year alone. Over the same period, 509 cases of burglary, 160 cases of robbery and 22 cases of dacoity were also reported. In 2023, as many as 4,736 theft cases, 2,668 cases of burglary, 915 cases of robbery and 70 cases of dacoity were registered in Kerala.
Renowned criminologist James Vadackumchery, who has authored 28 books on crime and policing, believes the increasing number of theft incidents underlines other social issues.
"It is true that theft is on the rise, especially violent incidents in which people are murdered or assaulted during attempts to steal their jewellery and money. This is an indicator of financial issues in society.
People are struggling to survive when prices are skyrocketing. It also signals rising unemployment.
Those with no jobs also have aspirations. Some turn to illegal activities such as robbery and smuggling to realise their aspirations of becoming rich and living a luxurious life," he said.
James maintains that police patrolling and other enforcement activities have little impact in curtailing heist. He said the soaring price of gold may be a factor in repeated incidents of chain snatching and burglary.
"I don't think the police can surveil every house and person to prevent theft. It has to be seen as a social issue. There have been cases where youngsters have been involved in chain snatching to buy drugs or expensive items. Such criminal activities will end when we tackle issues like poverty and unemployment," he said.
Ernakulam Rural police chief Vaibhav Saxena, who is supervising the investigation into the Kothamangalam murder of 72-year-old Saramma -- who was found hacked to death with her gold ornaments missing on March 25 -- said that theft usually increases during the first few months of the year when religious festivals are held.
"We keep an eye on people who come out of jail after being convicted of theft. During religious festivals, people emerge from their houses. And this is when thieves and burglars prefer to strike. But we have managed to crack most of these cases," he said.
As per the last published Crime in India report, nearly Rs 75.1 crore worth of assets were stolen in Kerala in 2022. Of this, only articles worth Rs 30.2 crore were recovered -- for a recovery rate of 40.2%. In 2021, the value of stolen goods was Rs 68.8 crore, of which Rs 27.5 crore worth were retrieved.
The recovery rate stood at 39.9%. A top police officer said the recovery of stolen articles is a daunting task.
"Even in cases in which cops manage to nab the accused, stolen items prove elusive. Stolen vehicles are taken to other states and turned into scrap. Jewellers buying stolen ornaments immediately melt them. The non-recovery of stolen goods affects cases during the trial stage," he admitted.