Police in Nepal have deployed extra forces in a bid to stop a spate of burglaries and thefts from homes ruined by Saturday’s earthquake.
Hundreds of thousands of people are living in the open often far from what is left of their houses, and there are reports in many parts of the country, including Kathmandu valley, of opportunistic thefts.
Ram Rauniyar, 42, chased away a group of thieves in Tahachal neighbourhood in the capital Kathmandu where nine houses, intact but insecure, were burgled. Televisions, cash and other valuables were taken.
“We were sleeping under the tent and heard some sounds, and later we realised there were people trying to break into the house,” Rauniyar said.
Police arrested six men and have increased patrols. “This is the situation in other parts too. Many robbers are arrested and reports of robbery are coming in,” said Shyam Krishna Adhikari, the deputy superintendent of police in Bhaktapur, an outlying suburb of the capital.
“We haven’t been able to consider this issue as we are busy in rescuing and distribution of relief to the earthquake-affected.”
Though life is slowly returning to normal in Kathmandu, with vehicles seen in the street and some shops open, people are still frightened to go home as aftershocks continue.
Niranjan Mishra, 43, has been camping on an army parade ground in the city centre with thousands of others. “I am worried about my property locked inside my room,” he said. “But I can do nothing other than hope it will not be robbed.”
Kamal Singh Bam, a police spokesman, said that it was “obvious that some people would want to exploit the emergency”.
He added: “We are not in position to say to everyone to get back to their houses; however, we have been telling people to be careful and aware of the risk of robbery.”
