KARACHI - A sharp rise in street crimes in the villages along the coastal belt has created an alarming situation for local fishermen, well-placed sources revealed to The Nation on Monday. According to the local residents, street crimes are on the rise with every passing day in coastal areas of the city where notorious professional gangs are operating. The criminals have shot dead almost twenty innocent people and injured dozens others over resistance in just one month. The most affected coastal areas include Ibrahim Hydri, Hawks Bay, Sandspit, Rehri Goth, Mubarak Village and other adjoining areas. Despite the presence of several police check-posts and regular patrolling, the culprits are still roaming the streets in broad daylight without any fear of the law. Mostly, the criminals target local villagers, fishermen and the visitors and deprive them of their valuables at gunpoint. The residents of Ibrahim Hydri and other adjoining areas will observe strike on Tuesday (Today) in protest over the rise in street crimes and the killing of PFF worker Rafiq, whom the unidentified culprits shot dead on resistance within the jurisdiction of Ibrahim Hydri police station. "The street crimes can not occur without the patronage of concerned police officers. Despite 24-hour police patrolling and stern security measures at local check points, culprits deprive people of their valuables, which is a sheer failure of the law-enforcers," said Sami Memon, s spokesman of the PFF while talking to The Nation. He alleged that the street criminals, in connivance with influential people as well as the area police, rob local fishermen and the visitors of their valuables. Sami said that criminals ruled the roost in entire coastal belt including areas such as Ibrahim Hydri, Rehri Goth and Qaidabad where a number of people had been killed on resistance during robberies. But so far no serious action has been taken against the culprits, he deplored. He said the coastal areas were already facing acute lack of basic facilities such as clean drinking water, sewerage, schools and hospitals. Now the sharp rise in street crimes has further aggravated the situation, he said.