The police is finally waking up to the menace of chain snatchers in the city.

Given the rise in chain snatching incidents in the city, additional police teams have been formed to patrol the area.

The commissioner of police has circulated letters to all police stations saying that such incidents have become a serious concern for both the police and the public. Hence, to counter the situation a new system has been put in place whereby extensive patrolling will be undertaken.  The extensive patrol will start from Thursday onwards.

Twenty two teams each of four police officials will patrol areas of the city that have recorded a rise in such incidents. Each team will have two constables, one armed official from the headquarter, and a traffic personnel. Commissioner SK Saikia said, “There will be two shifts for the team. One from 7 am to 2 pm and another from 2 pm to 10 pm.”

It should be noted that majority of the chain snatching incidents were reported from posh residential areas of the city. Earlier the police had set up vigilance squad for the same but failed to control such incidents. “We have been doing everything to check chain snatching,” said Saikia. “We are keeping those with a crime record under constant surveillance, besides deploying cops in civilian clothes at vulnerable areas,” he said.

Talking about the other measures taken by the police, Saikia said, the police are busyeducating people about the dangers of talking to strangers. “We have also launched foot patrolling in vulnerable areas. Hoardings have been put up at various places to educate people about how to prevent such incidents,” he said. He said that the police-people meetings undertaken by officials have to some extent helped in controlling the crime.

Barricades will also be set up and entry and exit points to the city will be checked. 
Police officials have been asked to move around on auto start bikes. They have also been asked to thoroughly check the registration and other documents of vehicles.