ISLAMABAD: The capital is facing an uptick in dacoity incidents as within a week, three such cases were reported in the remits of the Industrial Area and Lohi Bher police stations, besides a number of other minor and major crimes.

Police consider dacoity one of the most serious crimes against property. It is different than a robbery in which less than four people are involved. Dacoity, however, is a violent robbery committed by an armed gang of more than five people.

In the Industrial Area police jurisdiction, a bank located a few metres away from the police station was targeted by criminals, whereas in River Garden a locality in the jurisdiction of the Lohi Bher police station two houses were struck by armed men who got away with the valuables after holding residents at gunpoint.

Six gunmen barged into the house of Kamran Zamir around midnight and held the family hostage at gunpoint. The armed gang ransacked the house and looted valuables, including mobile phones. The police registered a case under Section 395 (dacoity) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

On March 12, six gunmen targeted the residence of a retired army officer in the same neighbourhood and looted almost Rs2.2 million in cash besides five tolas of gold. They also took away $7,000, 10,000 riyals, and 10,000 dirhams. Besides, they also stole watches and mobile phones worth a little over Rs2.5 million. The complaint also revealed that `confidential documents` were also taken away by the criminals. The criminals also took away Rs4m from their dacoity at the bank in Sector I-9.

In Bahria Enclave a private housing scheme that falls in the jurisdiction of the Nirole police a theft was reported in which 20 tolas of gold were stolen from a house when its inhabitants were away. Some burglars broke into the house and looted gold worth Rs3.2 million.

In the jurisdiction of the Margalla police, two robbers looted cash and valuables, including a motorcycle from a man who was barely at a distance of 1.5 kilometres from the Margalla police station. The victim was going to Sector G-8 from F-10 on his Honda 125. On his way to G-8, he stopped at the newly built F-8 underpass to check the location on his mobile. In the meantime, motorcycle riders appeared and held him at gunpoint before taking away his motorcycle and a mobile phone worth Rs30,000.