Smart cop changes lunch hour to outsmart chors

Updated on: 24 March,2009 08:05 AM IST |
Vedika Tripathi |

Robbers strike when cops are not on the prowl; as crime goes down, move may be replicated in other police stations

Robbers strike when cops are not on the prowl; as crime goes down, move may be replicated in other police stations

Inspector Suryakant Shinde of the Dindoshi police station has found a new way to fight crime in his jurisdiction

changing shift and lunch timings of the policemen under him.

"Surprisingly, most of the crimes took place at our lunch time and relievers' time (change of shifts). The criminals have the exact information about our activities. They work as per the police schedule," said Shinde. Lunch time for the cops falls between 2 pm and 3 pm and shift change happens between 7 pm and 8 pm.

Shinde added that most of the crimes are likely to have been committed by the same offenders.

Keeping this in mind, Shinde circulated a pamphlet listing 13 points, summarising the crime pattern to housing societies. "My main intention is to create awareness among the public," said Shinde. More than 200 such pamphlets have been distributed and pasted in public places.

"I call the building watchman and ask them to paste the pamphlet in their housing society. Later, I go and check whether they have done so," explained Shinde.

Appreciating Shinde's initiative, K L Prasad, joint commissioner of police, (law and order) said, "It's a good initiative, which will be replicated in other police stations, if it is found to have lowered the crime rate in the area under Shinde."

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