The provincial capital, Karachi, witnessed a sharp increase in street crime during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown as mask wearing dacoits are on the loose in the metropolis, it has been learnt.. The government had made wearing face mask mandatory in public places to contain the spread of COVID-19 but the muggers were using it for crimes. In a CCTV footage, obtained by ARY News, surgical masks wearing dacoits can be seen looting food delivery boy among several people in broad day light in Nazimabad number 3. In another incident, a woman was deprived of Rs60, 000 cash, mobile and other valuables by mask wearing dacoits in Federal B Area. Earlier on March 9, the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) had released a report on street crimes committed in February 2020 in Karachi. According to statistics compiled by the CPLC, overall 2,632 motorcycles had been snatched or stolen, while 1800 Karachiites had been deprived of their mobile phones by street criminals. At least 18 people had been killed in Karachi during the outgoing month, whereas, 150 four-wheelers were either snatched or stolen from the city. Moreover, Police had recovered 353 two-wheeler vehicles and 269 mobile phones. Earlier in January, overall 191 four-wheelers had been either snatched or stolen from the city, according to a CPLC report.
