|
Source:
www.gov.sg |
Response given by Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng at the Committee of
Supply Debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs - Crime Situation, 02
March 2006 |
¡¡ |
|
Crime Situation |
Indeed, overall crime increased by 19.9 per
cent, from 30,620 cases in 2004 to 36,700 cases in 2005. And I do feel
that this increase is alarming. |
However, if we examine the types of crime
which have increased, we will note that many of these need not have
happened, had the victims been more careful and vigilant. |
Many crimes were opportunistic in nature and
could be have prevented if the victims were more responsible in taking
care of their belongings. |
The bulk of the increase in crime rate can
be attributed to minor theft and related offences, such as theft in
dwelling and other theft. |
Handphone crime featured prominently in the
increases for several offences, most notably robbery, snatch theft and other
theft. |
Cheating and related
offences, housebreaking and snatch theft |
Mr Ahmad Khalis has rightly pointed out
that there has been a significant increase in cheating and related
offences, housebreaking and snatch theft. |
The increase in cheating and related
offences is due in part to a rise in cases of Criminal Breach of
Trust. And many of these involved handphones. A typical scenario is
that of a culprit who fails to return the victim¡¯s handphone after
borrowing it. |
On housebreaking, there was an increase
of some 230 cases, from 1,240 in 2004 to 1,470 cases in 2005. |
There was also an increase of 48 cases
of housebreaking involving culprits who gained entry through
unsecured windows or doors or where there were no signs of
tampering. |
This suggests that residents had failed
to secure their premises before they leave their homes or retire for
the night. Such crimes can be avoided if we take care to ensure that
our homes are well-secured. Residents can also install alarm systems
to deter housebreakers or alert their neighbours if their homes are
being broken into. |
In 2005, there were 23 serial
housebreakers arrested for a total of 257 cases, compared to 28
serial housebreakers arrested for 208 cases in 2004. |
Mr Ahmad Khalis asked if there are
special efforts to rehabilitate such serial offenders. While the
Prisons Department does not have special rehabilitative programmes
for serial housebreakers, it would customize rehabilitation
programmes based on the individual and his level of needs and risk
of re-offending. |
These programmes address the offenders¡¯
criminal thinking that causes the offending behaviours and also
helps to impart pro-social life skills to them. |
Handphone Crimes |
As for snatch theft, where a person¡¯s
belongings are forcibly snatched away from him, cases involving
handphones have increased from 160 cases in 2004 to 280 cases in
2005 and accounted for 45 per cent of the total number of snatch
theft cases in 2005. |
Of particular concern are the cases
specifically targeting the handphones of young victims, which has
increased from 50 cases in 2004 to 93 cases in 2005. |
Robbery and theft cases involving
handphones remain a key area of concern for the Police. The number
of such cases increased significantly by 42 per cent to 4,830 cases
in 2005. |
This is due to the higher mobile phone
penetration rate in Singapore, thereby giving rise to a larger pool
of potential victims. There are 4.3 million handphone subscribers in
Singapore. |
Similarly, just as there are now less
bicycles in Singapore than in the 1950s when they were a major mode
of transportation tool, the number of bicycle thefts has
correspondingly fallen over the years. |
More..... |
Source:
www.mha.gov.sg Media Release 2
Mar 2006 |
Related Article: |
-
Singapore Crime Situation 2005 |
|
Important
Notice |
Our FrontPage
Editions are a historical record of our Web site and reflect
the changing of the times, and also of our Web site through
time. We do not and will not update the links and stories on
these FrontPages even if they have become obsolete. |
|