Instances of burglary in Phuentsholing are nothing new

Instances of burglary in Phuentsholing are nothing new. It’s the flip side, residents say, of being the country’s main gateway for trade and other commercial activities.

Since the last two years, burglary in the country’s commercial hub has been increasing much to the dismay of locals. Police in Phuentsholing recorded 84 burglary cases in 2009, which accounts for as many as seven burglaries a month, up from 43 reported cases in 2008.

Since the beginning of 2010 to date, Phuentsholing police registered as many as 18 burglary cases.

A Phuentsholing police spokesperson said that, despite raising awareness among residents, the crime was still on the rise.

“Besides handling cases, we distributed pamphlets on safety measures last year,” the spokesperson said, adding that they reminded residents and building owners to install doorknobs, peepholes or chains to prevent strangers from entering the house.

“While some install, some don’t,” he said. “Those, who do, don’t make use of it.”

Many residents, Kuensel spoke to, had some bitter experiences to relate of their encounter with burglars.

In 2008, Kesang, now a college student, remembered how she was pushed from the balcony of her room on the first floor of a building in Karbreytar by a burglar.

It was in December at around 3 am when Kesang was preparing for her Class XII board examination that a stranger, who was behind her, pushed her off the balcony when she stood up and turned around.

“I fractured my right arm and my thigh and had to undergo surgery,” she said. She could not sit for her examination that year. Kesang said her family did not lodge any complaint with the police, because she had not seen the criminal’s face.

A senior resident said that burglary in Phuentsholing, whether during the day or night, was nothing new as it shared a porous border with the Indian state of West Bengal. “I think it occurs to every third person you meet on the streets,” a resident. He said some of his guests from other parts of the country who lived with him for a few nights, were robbed off mobiles phones and cash from his residence.

A private employee, Dawa Tshering, recalled his encounter with a burglar last year. On one occasion, while climbing up the stairs to his office, he noticed a half open door of one of the units. He peeked in and saw an Indian walking towards him. “He claimed to be the caretaker of the unit while its owner was out,” Dawa said. “I even took a glass of water from him.”

He grew suspicious of the man and went to ask a neighbour if the stranger was really a caretaker but was interrupted by the stranger who followed him to ask him if he looked like a thief to Dawa.

“I went out for a while and on returning saw the house burgled,” he said.

Most Phuentsholing residents said burglars always studied a particular house they wanted to break into. “So they know which house is left unattended during the day and night,” said a resident. “With the datho predicting rise in crime, especially burglary this year, we have to be more careful,” said another.