Petrol theft from two-wheelers on the rise in Port City

Visakhapatnam: With the prices of petrol hitting the roof, a new breed of thieves has emerged in the Port City. They are mostly in groups of three who resort to stealing petrol from two-wheelers in the Police Commissionerate and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits. The crime is attributed to several reasons including lack of proper vigil by the police, streetlights, electricity poles and petrol tanks without locks besides sky-rocketing petrol prices.
According to the police, the miscreants first study their targeted vehicles for a week -- the parking place, time of arrival and departure and whether anyone is near the vehicle when parked. Once everything is planned, the miscreants cut off the fuel line below the petrol tanks and pump out the fuel to their own kits. They carry polythene bags and sharp weapons to rapidly carry out the crime. While one gang member pumps out the fuel, the second keeps a look out for the owner and the third readies the escape route, the police said.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (crime) S Varadarajulu said the offenders are mostly college students between the age of 19 and 20 years. "The miscreants usually resort to petrol theft to fill their own bike tanks. We come across several complaints about petrol theft cases across the city," Varadarajulu said, adding that citizens must lodge a proper complaint about the theft to help the department curb the practice.
Police sources said the stolen fuel is also sold to private petrol bunks or customers for a lower price. The city police commissionerate receives around 5-6 such cases per day from all corners of the city, the police sources said.
According to the police, the areas where petrol theft is rampant are Sivajipalem, Arilova, Pedawaltair, Maharanipeta, Kancharapalem, Gajuwaka, Isukathota, HB Colony, Seethammadhara, Santhipuram, Poorna Market, Dwarakanagar, Jagadamba Junction, Dabagardens, RK Beach, Sagarnagar, Madhurawada, Thatichetlapalem, One Town, Gopalapatnam, Maddilapalem, Chinawaltair and MVP Colony.
When contacted, GVMC superintending engineer for streetlights P Ananda Rao said the corporation has nearly 8,000 electricity poles that are lying defunct. "The GVMC will complete the installation of streetlights in the next few months, the process for which has already started. Most of the electricity poles are newly created and the LED streetlighting project did not cover them," he said.