Eight shops looted in Liaquatabad market

In what was at least the fourth mass burglary in the city this year, eight shops were robbed overnight in Liaquatabad’s Super Market.

As per police officials, the mass robbery was reported by a security guard who arrived for duty at around 8am on Tuesday morning. 

Investigators said the robbers had used cutters to break off padlocks on eight shops that were situated in relatively deserted spots of the market.

Efforts were still being made to ascertain the exact monetary losses incurred due to the break-in. 

Given the frequency of mass market robberies this year, Sindh IGP A D Khowaja, in a statement, expressed disappointment over the recurring thefts and sought a detailed report from the District West DIG.

The IGP also directed the District Central SSP to meet with the market’s representatives to record their statements and work in coordination to apprehend the culprits involved.

Tuesday’s burglary was at least the fourth mass robbery this year and came after the October 27 break-in at Jami Centre, MA Jinnah Road, in which a total of 40 shops were looted. 

The suspects had broken in at around 2am after holding the market watchman hostage and took away cash and goods worth around Rs4 million.

Earlier that month, on October 10, a total of 12 shops inside Empress Market were robbed and cash and valuable worth around Rs100,000 were taken away. 

Prior to that, on September 24, 15 shops were robbed at Urdu Bazaar on MA Jinnah Road, while on September 9, a total of 22 shops were robbed at Tibet Centre with the robbers making away with around Rs600,000.  

Of the cases, progress was made in this month’s first heist as on October 14, the District South police claimed to have arrested four men suspected of  involvement in the Empress Market robbery, following a shootout at the Electronics Market in Saddar. Two of the suspected robbers were injured in the exchange of fire.

The robbers injured in the encounter were identified as Naimatullah and Bahauddin and the other two as Wali Mohammad and Dilawar. The police found four pistols and gadgets used for robbery on them.