The Bangalore Police on Friday called for stringent security measures by organisations, whose employees work at odd hours, following a spate of late night crimes in the city. Many of these crimes were traced to drivers working with call centres in the city.

"Organisations should step up their security measures and ensure that their employees, who leave offices at odd hours or travel to work at wee hours, are dropped to their residences or offices safely," said Gopal Hosur, Joint Commissioner (Crime).

Over 100 crime cases registered in the city during the past one-and-a-half years had been traced to those who had been working with call centres or had been hired by agencies which provided transport services to various organisations, he said.

The targets of these culprits are often people who worked late at night and traveled at odd hours. They also targeted people who had arrived from outside the city and were looking for transport to be dropped back home, said Hosur.

Warning people against taking lifts from strangers, he said that vehicles should not be equipped with tinted glasses as it made checking them a very difficult process for the police.

The burgeoning number of vehicles operating late at night, given the increase in call centres in the city, has made it difficult for the police.

"It is not possible to arrange a nakabandi everyday," Hosur added.

The police have also suggested that the public transport system should be strengthened to tackle the problem of employees leaving office at odd hours. Calling for an increase in the number of buses plying late at night, police said that if the number of public transport buses were increased, it would ensure better safety for the employees.

The joint commissioner also asked the transport agencies and organisations to verify the antecedents of drivers employed by them or hired by them.

"However, sometimes it is difficult because several of them are first time offenders and hence there are no police records to go by," he said. However, a better scrutiny during the recruitment process could help ensure higher safety, said Hosur.

Organisations should also verify the background of the transport agencies from where these vehicles or drivers were being hired, police said.