Crime rates on the rise at public housing areas because residents fail to report: Police

KUALA LUMPUR: Residents' attitude in keeping silent and refusing to lodge police reports have caused bad hats to target public housing projects as their base said Sentul police chief ACP R. Munusamy.
He said although residents were fully aware of the criminal activities going on in their areas they choose to remain silent and not report to the police.
Munusamy said such attitude not only complicated matters for the police in tackling crime in the areas but also encouraged criminals to be more daring in their act.
"If they (the residents) want their neighbourhood to be crime-free they should not be afraid to report to the police because we will not disclose the identities of informers to ensure their safety," he told Bernama here recently.
Munusamy said if reports were available police would be able to make an analysis and study the crime trend and rate in the area and thereon take immediate action to fight crime in the area.
He was commenting on the attitude of some residents in public housing areas here who were afraid to lodge police reports as they feared certain people would harm them.
In a survey by Bernama some public housing residents have claimed that robbery, car break-in, motorcycle and bicycle theft as well as snatch theft cases were rampant in their neighbourhood but they were not bothered to report them.
The popular reasons given were that they were afraid they would be confronted or assaulted by the troublemakers involved.
According to Munusamy, based on Seri Kelantan housing crime statistics, from January to March this year only two robbery cases were reported involving vehicle theft.
"During the same period there was only one robbery case reported at Sri Perak housing which involved a snatch theft.
"If crimes are rampant in their neighbourhood, why don't they report them so that we can take appropriate action" he said. — Bernama