In hard times when nothing pays, crimes are a last resort: Community policing chief
KUCHING: What drives an individual to commit snatch-theft or stage a daring broad daylight robbery?
And why are criminals getting bolder despite police stepping up their crime fighting efforts?
Sarawak Community Policing Association chairman Datuk John Lau did not hesitate for a moment when New Sarawak Tribune posed these questions to him yesterday.
According to Lau, these people are driven to desperation by the economic downturn which leads to socio-economic chaos and disorders.
Joblessness was also a factor which forced them to turn to criminal activities for survival, he said.
“They are victims of economic disorders. This (people forced into crime) is happening now.
“When they lose their jobs or when debtors don’t pay bills, these people will examine the best mode to have access to cash for survival,” he said.
He said the government needs to address urgent economic issues immediately to avoid social disorders.
On crime prevention, he said it would be good to have neighbourhood watch committees, giving yesterday’s citizen’s arrest of a burglar in Lorong Hup Kee here as a perfect example of responsible residents who helped in crime prevention.
“Everyone needs to be aware that crime prevention is our duty. We need to take preventive measures to deter criminals from targeting us,” he added.
He urged residents to join the Sarawak Community Policing Association and work closely with the police.
“The police also need to work with the community as a family,” he added.
Lau said most of the criminals are suspected drug addicts.
“When they are high or when they need to buy drugs, they will resort to robbery or snatch theft to fund their drug-taking habits,” he added.
Of late the city has witnessed several crimes. To name a few, on Feb 12 a snatch thief coolly entered a school compound and grabbed a cellphone from a 21-year-old girl who was waiting to pick up her sister from school.
In the incident, the victim fought back and managed to recover her phone but in the ensuing struggle, sustained injuries to her wrists, elbows and knees.
The thief has yet to be caught till now.
Then on Thursday, a sword-wielding man confronted two cooks and forced them to hand over their valuables. They escaped with the victims’ cellphones, cash and bank cards. The incident happened in broad daylight.
Yesterday, a man attempted to break into a house in a busy housing estate here but he was caught in the act by alert members of the public.
He attempted to fight back with a weapon but was caught and badly beaten up by the furious public before being handed over to the police.
