Every minute, a crime registered

9 December 2009

Burglary, larceny and battery are the three top crimes for which youths go to jail, according to police records in Thimphu. Out of 352 cases registered till October this year in Thimphu, 184 cases were for larceny and burglary mostly committed by people below the age of 30.

“Ninety percent of the detained are youth who have migrated to Thimphu for either schooling or better employment opportunities,” said an officer at the city police station. According him, it was their survival that dragged them into petty crimes. Police records in Thimphu also reveal that the number of reported burglary and larceny cases has increased this year. Last year, the total number of cases was 208 – 109 larceny and 99 burglary cases.

Police officials said the number was increasing because every minute a case was registered with them. “We receive complaints for even petty crimes like theft of one kg of sugar, and we register them,” said a police officer.

He added that they received more complaints because of the awareness of people on penal provisions for crimes, police-youth partnership programme and easy approach to police through 113.

The highest number of larceny and burglary cases recorded till August this year was at Norzin Lam – 26 larceny and 19 burglary cases. However, the hotspot for burglars, according to police, is the RICBL colony where the residents keep the road and corridors dark. “Under the cover of darkness, the criminals have become really bold,” said the divisional Superintendent of Police of the city branch, Phub Gyeltshen According to him, the increasing number of burglaries was due to people’s lack of cooperation.

“The neighbours do not socialize among each other, they do not change the lock system and keep their surroundings brightly lit to deter criminals from entering their place,” he said.

On why youth commit most of the crimes, a report published by Centre for Bhutan Studies states that after the age of 11, the juveniles try to establish their self-identities through various experiments including crimes to acquire their short-term emotional and material needs.

Rural-urban migration of youth is also seen as a reason for the increase in such crime.

By Kuenzang C Choden

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