Bhubaneswar: The capital city recorded around 65% drop in robbery and snatching cases in 2025 as compared to 2023, according to data released by the commissionerate police on Thursday. The drop was 49.2% from 2024.The combined incidents of robbery and snatching, which stood at 587 in 2023, fell to 398 in 2024 and further declined to 202 in 2025, even as the approximate value of the robbed property increased slightly last year as compared to 2024, according to police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh.“The approximate value of robbed property was pegged at Rs 1.42 crore in 2024 and Rs 1.43 crore in 2025. Recovery rates, however, showed marked improvement — rising from Rs 70.47 lakh in 2024 to Rs 85.05 lakh in 2025 — indicating stronger investigative outcomes,” commissioner Singh said, adding that the police are compiling separate data on snatching cases.Unlike the erstwhile IPC, which only categorised robbery, the BNS introduced a distinct provision for snatching offence.Singh attributed the decline in the property-related offences to a multi-pronged strategy. “Identification of crime hotspots, swift arrests and targeted preventive measures such as specialised anti-robbery teams, city-wide CCTV surveillance and close monitoring of habitual offenders have contributed to the improved situation,” Singh said.He added that the combination of specialised teams, technology-driven surveillance and stringent enforcement has made it increasingly difficult for criminals to operate.Police highlighted several other ongoing initiatives, including background checks of suspicious individuals during late hours, intensified patrolling, vehicle inspections at naka points and night blocking operations to track suspected movements.Despite the current encouraging figures, residents expressed scepticism. “Statistics don’t always reflect reality. We still hear of snatching incidents in our neighbourhood,” said Khitis Pattanayak, a banker from Khandagiri area.A local resident, who is actively involved in community policing, said: “In 2021-22, former DCP Uma Shankar Dash set up property offence prevention and detection team in each police station, dedicated to monitoring and acting against property-related crimes. Besides, an organised crime and property offence cell was set up for monitoring. These wings should be revived for more effective results.”Criminologists welcomed the decline but urged caution in interpreting the numbers. “Crime trends are complex. A sharp drop in one year could be influenced by multiple factors, including under-reporting or displacement of criminal activity. Sustained reductions over several years would be a stronger indicator of success,” said criminologist and lawyer Sidharth Das.
