INDIA COMPUTER STOLEN Theft at PCMC main building puts security under scanner - Pune - City - NEWS - The Times of India:

Theft at PCMC main building puts security under scanner
Siddharth Gaikwad, TNN 2 August 2009, 12:50am IST

PUNE: Security

loopholes at the main administrative building of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) came into focus yet again on Friday with the theft of a computer monitor from the main office.

In fact, on January 28, a four-wheeler (MH 14 AE 8104) was stolen from the premises of the PCMC main office building. Also, around two months ago, a computer was stolen and, in the latest incident, a computer monitor was stolen from the water supply department office, both in the main office building. All this has happened despite the PCMC installing close circuit television cameras here and deploying round-the-clock security guards.

Moreover, there have been several thefts at other civic properties over the past year. In January, around Rs 1.27 lakh was stolen from the divisional office of the property tax department at Charholi and, in March, Rs 3.98 lakh was stolen from the Bhosari divisional office of property tax department.

Thefts have also been reported from the zonal offices of the PCMC. Rs 64,646 was stolen from the zone B office in Chinchwad on May 29. The octroi posts have also not been spared and an armed robbery attempt had been reported in May at an octroi post in Moshi, where a civic employee was injured when he put up a fight to prevent the crime.

Speaking to TOI on Saturday, Sahebrao Gaikwad, assistant commissioner and in-charge of the security department, said, "The employees of each department in the main office building have been asked to lock the doors of the department, when the office closes for the day. This will ensure that there will be no thefts. We have even issued a circular in this regard. There are security guards deployed at the entrance to the building and at the gates of the premises."

Gaikwad said, "We will try to recruit as many security guards as possible to beef-up security at civic properties within the municipal limits. We have deployed armed security guards at some octroi posts and other civic properties and are going to recruit 50 more men. We have held discussions with a security agency of retired army personnel who are willing to provide guards. We have also received 10 applications from individuals who are willing to work as armed security personnel."

Speaking to TOI, security officer Ashokkumar Dalvi, said, "We have lodged police complaints about all the thefts that have taken place at the civic properties. The police have not yet informed us about the progress in the investigations."