ISLAMABAD: SSP (operation) Sajid Kiani on Saturday claimed that despite insufficient resources, skills and manpower, the performance of the capital police was much better when compared with the capital police of other countries, including Washington DC.

To substantiate his claim, Mr Kiani said: `The capital police have made record recovery of stolen goods worth more than Rs135 million in last four months.

Addressing a press conference, SSP Sajid Kiani stated that Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) of Washington had 40 specialised units whereas the Islamabad police had only three workingunder CIA.

Drawing a comparison of the crime situation in Islamabad and Washington DC he said last year 3,000 robberies, more than 2,000 burglaries and 12,000 autotheft incidents took place in Washington DC, whereas in Islamabad 300 robberies, 259 burglaries and 434 auto-thefts cases were reported.

He gave all the credits to his team, including the officials of Anti-Car Lifting Cell, investigation team and CIA for making recoveries during last four months.

Islamabad Police arrested 1,878 criminals during the ongoing year and recovered valuables worth Rs135.4 million including 113 snatched cars, 31 motorbikes, gold ornaments and foreign currency from them, the SSP added.Sajid Kiani stated that 188 criminals were arrested in 99 robberies and valuables worth Rs7 million were recovered from them.

A total of 233 people were arrested for being involved in burglary and theft incidents and looted items worth more than Rs40 million were recovered from them, SSP Kiani added.

The police recovered stolen cars worth more than Rs80.6 million and arrested 77 people. Besides, they apprehended 23 motorcycle thieves and recovered more than 31 motorbikes from them, he stated, adding this discouraged organised crime of car theft in the city.

Mr Kiani claimed that the police also succeeded in recovering 40 Kalashnikovs/ rifles, 28 carbines, 190 pistols, 1,782 roundsand seven daggers and arrested 261 people.

He said 281 drug pushers/bootleggers were also nabbed and along with 79.71kg hashish, 12.318kg heroin, 380 grams opium and 3,184 wine bottles.

The police, he said, also traced eight murder cases and apprehended 10 murderers.

During the ongoing year, SSP (Operations) said that Islamabad police conducted92 searchoperationsin the city and recovered huge cache of weapons, narcotics and other items from the suspectsnabbed duringthisexercise.

In a bid to curb drug supply in educational institutions, 20 narcotics dealers were held for their involvement in the business and more than 12kg hashish, 380 gram opium, 650 gram heroin and tranquilizers were recovered from them.