Bengaluru Police To Protect To Your Unoccupied Homes As Part Of New Initiative Amid Rising Burglaries

With burglary cases on the rise in Bengaluru, city police have launched a new initiative allowing residents to inform authorities when leaving their homes unattended while travelling.

Under this scheme, police will carry out special patrols around these residences to deter break-ins and bolster security.

Photo Credit: PTI

The initiative has been introduced as a pilot project in South Bengaluru, where its effectiveness will be assessed before a possible citywide implementation.

Bengaluru has experienced a major increase in house burglaries in recent months.

According to a report in Deccan Herald, the city recorded 879 cases of night-time break-ins in 2023, of which only 264 were solved.

In comparison, 702 cases were reported in 2022 and 654 in 2021, reflecting a consistent upward trend in such crimes.

How the Initiative Works

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Lokesh B. Jagalasar, speaking to Deccan Herald, stated that the initiative is being carried out under the supervision of City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, who will evaluate its impact before considering a broader implementation.

"Our goal is to ensure that no house is left unmonitored. Prevention is always better than detection," he emphasised.

Residents planning to leave their homes unattended can notify the police by sending a photograph of their locked house to the Bengaluru South control room via 080-22943111 or 9480801500.

The control room will then register the request and compile a daily list of locked houses, which will be distributed to all 18 police stations under South Bengaluru's jurisdiction.

Each evening, local police stations will use this list to coordinate night patrols, deploying Hoysala patrol vehicles to monitor these areas and enhance security for unoccupied properties.

Existing System vs. New Approach

Previously, morning patrol officers were responsible for identifying locked houses and passing this information to night patrol teams. However, this manual process was often time-consuming and led to some houses being left unguarded.

The new system allows residents to proactively inform the police, ensuring a more structured, efficient, and citizen-friendly approach to crime prevention.