Wednesday 4 September 2013

Cops: Crackdown has reduced crime

The ongoing nationwide crackdown on crime, Ops Cantas Khas, has reduced crime in the country.

National crime statistics released by Bukit Aman showed that violent crime has shrunk 21.6% since the launch of the operation on Aug 17 and an overall reduction in crime nationwide by 14.7%.

The statistics compared crime cases reported from Aug 1 until Aug 16 with crime cases reported since the launch until Aug 31.

The biggest reduction was seen in violent crimes like homicide, which showed a 55% drop from 40 cases in the first half of the month to 18 cases.

Robbery cases also dropped significantly from 904 cases to 664 cases, about 26.5%, over the same period.

Bukit Aman Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan said the reduction in crime due to Ops Cantas Khas has come as no surprise.

“It is a very aggressive strategy which encompasses every aspect of crime prevention,” he said yesterday.

Launched during rampant gang and gun-related violence in the country, the move was deemed as a much needed yet simple solution to the problem.

The crackdown, however, is more than just a simple crime prevention exercise, said SAC Abdul Jalil adding that public confidence had also increased because they saw police on the streets and conducting daily raids.

“We are getting a lot more tip offs and information from members of the public now which has further helped our efforts,” he added.

MyWatch co-founder S. Gobi Krishnan said although the statistics looked promising, there was still work to be done.

“If the numbers are true, this shows the police have started to perform their tasks properly.

“But why did they allow crime to come to such a state before this?” he said.

Taman Midah Rukun Tetangga chairman Raymond Ng stated his full support for Ops Cantas and said it should be continued indefinitely.

“We will help with patrolling if needed by the police,” he said.

Public opinion however, is still divided upon learning of the impact of Ops Cantas Khas.

Engineer Sarah Kamarudin, 30, said she was glad to hear about the reduction in crime because of the crackdown.

“It shows that the police are doing a decent job. However there are always risks and we should take steps to reduce the risks ourselves,” she said.

S. Arvin Inthiran expressed doubt over the statistics however, saying the time period was too short to be conclusive.

“It could be that the criminals have learnt to lay low and hide for now until the operation is over and will return once the heat dies down,” he said.

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