KOTA KINABALU: Police have smashed four housebreaking groups which targeted safes in upmarket housing estates in Sabah and made off with RM1.36 million in the first two months of this year.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun (pix) said police believe they have solved 14 housebreaking cases with the arrest of 12 members of these groups.
He said the modus operandi of these groups was to strike at houses which were unoccupied for short periods in elite residential areas.
“Some of these groups get clues that the occupants are away for a brief period when there are piles of uncollected newspapers on the five-foot way (porch) or there are no activities around the house.
“We hope everyone does not leave such signs indicating that the occupants have left the house. Contact the police or register your movements in the VSP (Volunteer Smartphone Patrol) application so that the police can monitor the houses,“ he told a press conference after attending the state-level 217th Police Day celebration here today.
Jauteh also said Sabah recorded a 23.34 per cent increase in crime cases during this period, with 782 cases compared to 634 cases in the same period last year.
He said this increase was partly due to the approach of opening investigation papers for all police reports with criminal elements regardless of the amount of losses involved.
“If we simply close (small) cases, we will not know the pattern of crimes in the state. With this method (investigating all cases), we can implement more effective crime prevention efforts,” he said.
However, he said the success rate of solving crimes also increased this year to 65.35 per cent or 511 cases during the same period.
Jauteh said that to ensure public safety during the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, 1,041 police personnel will be mobilised in various operations, including Ops Selamat and Ops Pintu.
“A total of 54 hotspots have been identified for these operations throughout Sabah to ensure public safety on the roads, at home, or anywhere during this festive season,“ he said. -Bernama
