Bhubaneswar, June 22: Snatchers are on the prowl in the city despite claims by the police that they have intensified their drive against the offenders.

A woman was robbed today by some men at knifepoint at Jayadurga Nagar under the Laxmi sagar police station. The men snatched her gold ring and when she protested she was threatened with a knife.

Later, the woman lodged a complaint following which the police registered a case and were looking into the matter.

Some women from Nageswartangi area under the Lingaraj police station yesterday met the police commissioner alleging inaction on part of the local police in curbing such loot cases. They presented a memorandum listing 30 cases of snatching and loot at knifepoint to the commissioner demanding speedy action against the criminals active in their area.

A senior police officer said snatching cases had become common in the city, as it was the easiest way to commit a crime and flee. “Everyday, at least two cases relating to snatching or loot at knifepoint are registered in each police station in the city,” said the officer. He said the craze for motorcycles among the youths had added to such crimes, as the goons could easily escape from the spot after committing the crime.

In the first five months in 2011, theft cases have shown a rising trend. But, its detection rate is very low. In 2010, the detection rate was just 42 per cent out of a total of 1,146 reported cases.

According to a police officer, the spurt in snatching cases in the city is the result of rising gold prices. In the past six months, gold price has risen more than Rs 3,000 in the city. While it was just above Rs 21,000 for 10 grams of gold in January, it is Rs 24,030 in today’s market.

The officer said one goldsmith was arrested along with three chain snatchers by Nayapalli police last month. The goldsmith used to buy gold necklace from these youths, who had been snatching gold chains from women in the city. Moreover, another goldsmith was arrested from Kakatpur area in suspicion of being involved in a snatching case last month.

However, talking about curbing the growing rate of snatching cases, deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh said several teams of police had been deployed at various places in civil dress and they had been provided with speed-friendly motorcycles to catch the fleeing criminals. “We have achieved success and hope to arrest more such criminals,” said the DCP.

Though misguided youths are mostly found involved in snatching cases, the involvement of educated youths in such cases has put the city police and sociologists in a tizzy.

Sociologists believe that youths in a growing city such as Bhubaneswar are becoming more money-minded, which makes them take to crime.