Penang police identify housebreaking thieves
BUKIT MERTAJAM, July 30 — Penang police have identified several active gangs carrying out housebreakings around the state and are currently ramping up efforts to nab them.
State police chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob said the police have formed a special task force in every district police headquarters in Penang to track down the gangs.
“Housebreaking thefts in Penang in the past one month have been worrying and the statistics have also increased, so the police have to do something in order to ensure that the situation can be curtailed.
Speaking to reporters after attending a gathering with the Indian community here last night, Ayub said among the steps taken by the police was to increase night patrols in areas which experienced the most break-in cases.
“In addition, we are also conducting night patrols in areas which could be potential targets for break-in thefts to prevent the crime,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ayub, who will be taking up a new post as secretariat chief of the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) in Bukit Aman focusing on overcoming national security issues beginning next month, said he was happy and contented during his four-year tenure as Penang police chief as the crime rate had been reduced year over year.
He said among the methods used to reduce to crime in the state were to bring the police closer to the public and adding personnel in densely populated areas.
“It looks like the approach has been successful because every year, the crime rate in Penang has been further reduced and the latest statistics for the first six months of the year show a 21 per cent decrease in the crime index,” he said. — Bernama
