ISLAMABAD: A surge in street crime has rattled the federal capital, with auto thieves and street criminals managing to snatch or steal at least 40 vehicles and motorcycles during the past week. According to data gathered by Business Recorder, police have registered 61 criminal cases over the past seven days, including 31 motorcycle thefts, 9 car thefts, 11 robberies, and 11 incidents of mobile phone and cash snatching. Some police jurisdictions have emerged as crime hotspots, particularly Industrial Area, Golra, Margalla, Shalimar, Shehzad Town, and Shams Colony, which reported the highest number of incidents. Among the most shocking incidents, some unidentified armed robbers broke into a house in the limits of Ramna police station with the intent to rob and took the family members hostage at gunpoint. However, when the family resisted, one of the residents — the homeowner’s son — managed to injure one of the robbers during the scuffle. In response, the injured robber’s accomplice opened indiscriminate fire inside the house. While no one was injured by the gunfire, bullets struck the walls and floor, causing panic and chaos among the family members. The suspects fled the scene shortly after the incident. The affected family has submitted a written complaint to the Ramna Police Station, stating that the armed men forcibly entered their home for robbery and fired shots upon resistance. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025