Gold Chains and mobile phones snatchings have become a common feature in Delhi and in most of such cases the victims avoid going to police stations to lodge complaints as there have been so many instances of complainants being dissuaded to file complaints and subsequent registration of FIRs because the police find it difficult to either trace these phones, or lacks the will to do so or being engaged in other serious cases in their respective areas. Moreover, the victims are usually afraid of serious consequences by the criminals to become witness. As per the Indian Express report of June 2022 there have been a surge in cases of snatchings with 800 cases reported every month, though these may be fifty percent reported cases. Forty percent of these cases were reported via PCR calls and out of 2,729 cases in 2022 the resolution ratio was 58%. The densely populated or hectic market areas like Chawdee Bazar, Chandni Chowk, most of the resettlement colonies, and even on vehicles while people are busy talking on phones in posh areas too , the snatchers on mobile motorcycle grab them, mostly the victims being women.
However, if such incidents of thefts happen with important dignitaries, police officers or high ranking influential persons the culprits are caught within one of two days and their gold chains, mobile phones etc recovered satisfactorily.
Take the case of a French ambassador who has complained of his missing phone while he was in Chandni Chowk near ancient Jain Temple for some marketing or work.
A written complaint ( FIR) was lodged on 20 th October.
Being an important foreign diplomat ( ambassador) obviously there must have been pressure from the top and the entire police machinery swooped into action bringing to justice four thieves/ snatchers with the expensive phone of the French ambassador too recovered. The name of the France ambassador in India stationed at New Delhi’s name is Thierry Mathou.
This is the efficiency of the police department if the victim is VIP but in general cases either the complainants are dissuaded to lodge their FIRs or they are apprehensive of threat of the culprits for being witnesses. There have been accusations that in some of the case these culprits are directly or indirectly in league with the police.
