After HUARPE DIARY made known the complaint from residents of the Salta street block, between General Paz and Córdoba, in the Capital, about a criminal gang that steals between one and three car batteries per day in the same area, from the San Juan Police they came out to defend their work and accused that it is the Justice system that does not get to the bottom of the facts with the investigation. In addition, they warn that there are few personnel to guard that area.
A senior police source confirmed to this medium that since the San Juan Justice system implemented the Adversarial Accusation System, the way in which investigations were approached was completely modified, since now that task corresponds clearly to the Investigative Fiscal Unit for Crimes against Property, in the case of the type of event in question.
“If there is a battery theft, the Police arrive at the scene, take testimonies from witnesses, request recordings from security cameras, carry out visual inspection, and other routine measures, and then hand over all the evidence and material to a prosecutor. From that moment on, all subsequent action depends exclusively on Justice. If they do not investigate or take action, there is little we can do,” he stated.
In turn, sources from the 4th Police Station – the unit that has jurisdiction in the aforementioned area – clarified that, in these types of events, their work is only focused on crime prevention. In this sense, they warned that since the 1st Police Station (currently Cavig) was dissolved, a perimeter that is difficult to control has fallen on its section.
“The area we have to patrol is huge, it includes all of Desamparados and a large part of the center. We need other operational units to collaborate in order to provide an effective service. We do what we can with the means we have, if we do not add tools and personnel, it is impossible to cover that entire area,” they stated.
On the other hand, the Police assure that as a result of the complaint published by this newspaper, they took action on the matter and requested a greater presence of the D-3 Special Operations Department in the vicinity of that block of Salta Street, through a reinforcement of the Urban Command, the Raptor Cyclist Division.
Meanwhile, although neighbors and victims argue that in the last week alone there were about 10 robberies under this modality, the police department assures that only three complaints were registered. In this sense, they explained that if a theft is not formally reported, it is difficult for the situation to be resolved.
“With the complaint we obtain statistical data that helps us understand the time slot or specific zone that must be reinforced,” they argue.
An unsafe block
This busy block in the center of San Juan became a nightmare for neighbors and drivers, since between one and three thefts of batteries and tires occur there per day. Although the problem is historical, in recent weeks insecurity has increased in the area, and they warn that crimes occur during the siesta when commercial activity is low, or between 7 p.m. and midnight, when the block is closed. turns dark.
The theory that is gaining more strength among the local inhabitants is that a large part of the drivers who leave their vehicles there do so to attend wakes in the garage that is located just 100 meters from the conflict zone. Therefore, thieves would take advantage of the time when car owners are not paying attention to them.
Tired of the situation and given the lack of police presence, in solidarity with those who are not aware of what is happening in the area, the neighbors decided to put signs on the trees and light posts that are adjacent to the parking spaces. , in which they display an image showing the alleged perpetrator of the events, along with messages such as: “Be careful, they steal batteries,” or “He steals on this block every day.”
This is how the gang that steals batteries operates
In the images you can clearly see how a group of at least four young people walk down Salta Street, from North to South, and pay attention to a parked car. Surreptitiously and very quickly, one of them approaches the vehicle and checks the ease with which the hood of said vehicle can be opened, and then leaves the scene.
Just a minute later, a visibly older man appears on the scene, who, without hesitation, walks towards the car in question and proceeds to raise the hood. The speed with which he manages to steal the vehicle’s battery is surprising, only 55 seconds are enough for the criminal to leave the scene with the loot and without having been warned by witnesses, except for the security cameras of several houses on the block.
