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FLIGHT INFORMATION CURRENCY CONVERTER

^{Crime Situation}^{Jan - Jun 2000}^continued

Continued from FrontPage

CRIME TRENDS

The number of housebreaking offences decreased by 32.0% from 754 in Jan-Jun 1999 to 513 cases in Jan-Jun 2000. Break-ins into commercial and industrial premises at both public housing estates (PHE) and non-PHE dropped by 43% and 19% respectively. Similarly, there was a 44% drop in break-ins into HDB flats.
However, a 48% increase was noted for break-ins at landed properties,
particularly at detached and semi-detached houses, which rose from 26 cases in the first half of 1999 to 50 cases in the first 6 months of this year. The common method of entry into landed properties was through the rear - forcing open the door or windows or removing the windowpanes. Owners of landed residential properties are advised to take basic crime prevention measures to secure their properties effectively. If the premises are equipped with alarm systems, these should be armed to prevent break-ins. (From the housebreaking cases reported in last 2 months at landed properties, it was found that of the 3 cases in May and 5 cases in Jun 2000, there were alarm systems installed in the premises. Only 2 cases with alarm systems in Jun 2000 were armed when the victims left their premises)

Robberies fell by 29.3% from 362 cases in Jan-Jun 1999 to 256 cases in Jan-Jun 2000. No firearm or goldsmith robbery was reported. All broad categories of robberies dropped with significant decreases in taxi and lift robberies by 81% and 34% respectively. Remittance robberies and robberies on victims to and from banks also dropped by 64% and 50% respectively in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. The police advise foreign workers to remit their monies through the banks.

Snatch theft fell by 17.9% from 168 cases in Jan-Jun 1999 to 138 cases in Jan-Jun 2000. Most of the victims were female adults. 28% of the cases were committed on elderly victims above 60 years old. This was a drop of 5
percentage points compared to 33% recorded in Jan-Jun 1999. The number of snatch thefts involving victims who were going to or had just left a bank or moneychanger fell from 8 cases in Jan-Jun 1999 to 7 cases in Jan-Jun 2000. The police will continue to work closely with the Association of Banks to educate customers on crime prevention measures.

Rioting (Fighting involving 5 or more persons) fell by 8.2% from 170 cases in Jan-Jun 1999 to 156 cases in Jan-Jun 2000. Of the 156 cases, dangerous weapons were used in 43 cases (28%), down from the 50 cases in Jan-Jun 1999. The number of rioting cases involving youths aged 7-19 years also fell, from 69 cases in Jan-Jun 1999 to 39 cases in Jan-Jun 2000. The common causes of rioting were bullying and personal disputes.

Cheating and related offences fell 6.8%, from 990 cases in Jan-Jun 1999 to 923 in Jan-Jun 2000. Cheating remained the most prevalent offence, constituting 54% of the reported cases. Confidence tricksters committed 292 or 58% of the cheating cases, using methods such as collection of deposits for bogus rental schemes, inducing victims to join business deals or ventures, scams of offering assistance to find jobs or to provide services but absconded with the monies collected and providing spiritual healing or good luck charms. An increase was noted in cheating cases involving dud cheques or "fly-by-night" companies, from 10% of cheating cases in Jan-Jun 1999 to 19% this half year. The proportion of credit card fraud remained at 16% for both periods reviewed.

989 cases of motor vehicle theft were reported in Jan-Jun 2000, down 6.1% from the 1,053 cases in Jan-Jun 1999. Except for an increase of 28 cases in thefts of motorcycles and 1 case in theft of trailer, all other types of motor vehicle thefts decreased. The most commonly stolen make of motorcycle was Yamaha. It accounted for 71% of motorcycle thefts, even though it makes up 38% of the motorcycle population in Singapore. Motor vehicle thieves usually stole vehicles by using keys of other vehicles, duplicate keys, or keys that happened to fit the ignition keyhole. The vehicles were usually stolen for joyride or transportation.

There were 27 murders in Jan-Jun 2000, a decrease of 1 case or 3.6% compared to 28 in Jan-Jun 1999. There were fewer murders involving crimes of passion and robbery cum murder, which dropped by 4 cases and 3 cases respectively. None of the cases of murder were linked.

63 cases of rape were reported in Jan-Jun 2000, a decrease of 2 cases or 3.1% compared with Jan-Jun 1999. 24 cases or 38% were late reports of rapes, which occurred prior to 2000. In 87% of the cases, the victims were raped by persons known to them, mainly by friends, boyfriends and acquaintances. Statutory rapes increased by 7 cases from 1 to 8 cases.

The number of cases of outraging of modesty declined by 1.2%, from 485 in Jan-Jun 1999 to 479 in Jan-Jun 2000. 90% of the cases were simple molestations, which increased from 427 in Jan-Jun 1999 to 429 in the first half of this year. Aggravated molestations (Aggravated molestations are cases committed in confined areas; where force is used or where the victim is below 14 years of age) also fell by 8 cases, from 58 to 50. 77% of the outraging of modesty cases were committed by persons not known to the victims. No case of outraging modesty arose from contacts via Internet or chat lines.

ELDERLY VICTIMS OF CRIME

The unsuspecting elderly can present themselves as targets of conmen, robbers and snatch thieves. In Jan-Jun 2000, 38 snatch thefts and 34 robberies were committed on elderly persons above 60 years old, down from 55 snatch thefts and 45 robberies in Jan-Jun 1999. Of concern is the higher number of cheating cases committed on elderly. This half-year, there were 26 cases compared to 11 cases in the same period in 1999. Most of these scams involved inducing victims to join business ventures or buy 'fake' jewellery for higher profits. Some were promised jobs by the culprits or for their children, in exchange for a fee. In some instances, the victims were informed by the culprits that their sons were arrested by the police or hospitalised and required money urgently.
The elderly are again advised to be wary of such tricks and alert the police
quickly should they come across culprits trying to pull such ruses on them.

INCREASE IN JUVENILES ARRESTED FOR CRIME

A higher number of juveniles (Juvenile offenders are those aged between 7 and 15 years of age) were arrested for crime in the first half of 2000, i.e. 756
compared to 707 in Jan-Jun 1999, an increase of 6.9%. Consistent with past years' trends, slightly more than three-quarters (76%) of the juveniles were arrested for theft and related offences. The common offences committed by them continued to be shoplifting (45%) and simple theft (16%). Substantial increases in arrests were noted for unlawful assembly (from 6 to 38), motor vehicle theft (from 7 to 31), simple theft (from 95 to 122), possession of offensive weapon (from 4 to 17) and rioting (from 30 to 39). 81% of the juveniles arrested were students, down from 84% in Jan-Jun 1999. 31% of the juveniles arrested were females, marginally lower than the 32% in Jan-Jun 1999. More than three-quarters (77%) of the female juveniles were arrested for shoplifting. Police will continue to work with the Inter-Ministry Committee on Youth Crime (IMYC) to address the issue of juvenile involvement in crime.

FEWER FOREIGNERS ARRESTED FOR CRIMES

A total of 714 foreigners were arrested for crimes in the first half of 2000,
down 10.4% from the 797 foreigners arrested in the same period last year.
Close to two-thirds (62%) were arrested for theft-related offences, with
shoplifting accounting for 39%. The largest group of foreign offenders were
work permit holders (39%), followed by those on social visit pass holders
(28%), illegal immigrants (11%) and student pass holders (8%). The five
largest groups of foreigners arrested were Indian nationals and Malaysians (19% each), Indonesians (18%), Bangladeshis (10%) and Chinese nationals (9%).

PUBLIC-ASSISTED ARRESTS

In the first half of 2000, members of the public helped the Police arrest 254 criminals who were involved in snatch theft, motor vehicle theft, robbery, housebreaking, outraging of modesty, murder and rape. This accounted for 39.3% of the arrests in these crimes. (Public-assisted arrests covers those arrests which resulted from (a) information received from victims, victims' relations / friends and members of public, (b) active role of making citizen arrests by victims, family members, friends & members of public and (c) '999' calls or calling police to report or to alert crime in progress)

THEFT FROM VEHICLE

Thefts of handphones and cash cards have been highlighted as areas of concern during the past news releases. For the first half of 2000, thefts of
handphones from vehicles decreased by 44%, from 508 cases recorded in Jan-Jun 1999 to 283 cases. Although theft of cash cards from vehicles was still a concern at the end of last year, the first six months of 2000 saw fewer cases recorded. It dropped by 90 cases or 16%, from 550 in Jan-Jun 1999 to 460 cases. However police would like to once again reiterate to vehicle owners that theft of cash-cards and handphones from vehicles can be prevented. All they need to do is to exercise crime prevention and take these items with them after parking their vehicles, instead of leaving their valuables in open view.

CONCLUSION

Crime has declined by 2.6% in the first half of 2000 after a significant drop
at the end of 1999. Broad-based declines were seen in property-related
offences, ranging from 5% to 31% in 4 classes of offences. The 9 index crimes also registered decreases. Seizable offences recorded in the first half of 2000 averaged 3100 cases compared to 3200 cases in Jan-Jun 1999.

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