Jharkhand director-general of police M.V. Rao on Monday asked all the districts to launch vehicle-checking drives following a rise in incidents of snatching, theft and petty offenses since the restrictions in the lockdown.

On Sunday night, unidentified criminals stole the Padma Shri award, silver coins and other valuables from the residence of mountaineer Premlata Agarwal at Kadma in Jamshedpur.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday evening after a meeting of the chief ministers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi this afternoon, Rao conceded the rise in petty crimes but said they will be curbed soon.

He said, “All the districts have been asked to launch aggressive checking drives of two wheelers for next 15 days, with district transport officials and local magistrates. It has been observed that two wheelers are being used in chain snatching, loot and other petty crimes. Therefore, an aggressive drive will help to control the problem.”

He also added that the drive will curb two-wheeler thefts, which he believed were being used for such offenses.

At least a dozen instances of snatching, and theft have been reported in Ranchi in the last week. Two days ago, unidentified criminals on a bike snatched a chain of a morning walker in Kokar.

In Doranda, a retired female banker, Kaveri Minz, was on her evening walk when her chain was snatched. However she hadn’t reported the incident to the police to avoid unwanted hassles.

In Jamshedpur, too, bike-borne criminals turned active following a lull of two months during the lockdown, with half a dozen instances being reported in less than a week.

Both the districts have begun vehicle-checking drives.