KARACHI: Already grappling with street crime and extortion, Karachi is now witnessing a disturbing rise in house robberies in upscale neighbourhoods that were previously considered secure.
Incidents have been reported from Defence, Bahadurabad, Sindhi Muslim Society, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Landhi, Korangi and parts of District Central where organised groups have targeted residential properties. The surge has triggered widespread fear among residents, particularly in middle and upper-class communities.
In a recent incident in Gulberg Block 12, armed suspects reportedly entered a house in broad daylight and escaped after looting cash, gold jewellery and other valuables worth millions of rupees. In another incident in Defence, bungalow residences were targeted with criminals managing to enter and flee without resistance.
A case in Sindhi Muslim Society further highlighted the severity of the trend where a domestic worker allegedly escaped with cash and jewellery worth nearly Rs10 million. These incidents, which occurred within days, have intensified concerns over residential security.
Officials acknowledge that in many house robbery cases, domestic staff or individuals with inside access are involved, either directly or through providing information to criminal networks. This insider facilitation has made house robberies easier to execute and harder to prevent.
In the past, the IT wing of the Sindh police initiated efforts to maintain a database of domestic workers including identifying individuals allegedly linked to house robbery cases. A limited version of this system was implemented in parts of District South, but officials admit it was never expanded into a comprehensive citywide mechanism.
The absence of a centralised and regularly updated verification system for domestic workers and incoming residents is being widely criticised. Authorities currently lack a unified mechanism to track individuals arriving from other provinces, their residential history or employment background in the city.
Sources within law enforcement suggest that certain cases involve organised criminal networks that exploit gaps in intelligence sharing and internal monitoring systems. These groups allegedly rely on ‘inside information providers’ to plan and execute robberies efficiently.
Residents, meanwhile, say the situation has made even secured housing societies feel unsafe. They argue that Karachi residents moving to other cities face stricter documentation and verification processes, while similar systems within Karachi remain weak or inconsistently enforced.
Experts believe that without urgent reforms, including mandatory registration of domestic workers, verification of tenants and inter-provincial data sharing, the trend could worsen further.
They warn that Karachi’s urban security challenges cannot be addressed through reactive policing alone, and require a structured, technology-driven monitoring framework to restore public confidence and reduce rising insecurity in residential areas.
