INTRODUCTION

Crime has dropped by 4.5% in the first half of 2010 as compared to the same period last year .

Four of the six crime classes¹ have registered decreases vis-à-vis the same period in 2009; and the 3 key areas of concern, namely overall petty theft cases, break-ins at HDB residences and statutory rape cases highlighted in Jan 2010 have also recorded significant decreases.

OVERALL CRIME DOWN

The overall crime in the first half of 2010 fell by 4.5% to 16,073 cases from 16,837 cases in the same period last year. Annex A shows the breakdown of overall crime in Jan-Jun 2010 as compared to Jan-Jun 2009.

As captured in Annex A, four of the six crime classes registered decreases in the period Jan-June 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009, with significant decreases noted for Theft and Related Crimes (down by 693 cases) and Housebreaking and Related Crimes (down by 135 cases). The elaboration is as follows:

a. Violent Property Crimes, which refer to crimes which involve the taking of money or property by force or threat of force against the victims, decreased from 380 cases to 316 cases (or a drop of 16.8%). In particular, the number of robbery cases saw a significant drop of 74 cases from 364 cases to 290 cases (or a drop of 20.3%).

b. Housebreaking and Related Crimes fell by 135 cases (or by 24.9%) from 543 cases. For the first six months of 2010, Police also arrested 17 serial housebreakers who were responsible for more than 200 cases of housebreaking.

c. Theft and Related Crimes decreased by 693 cases to 9,624 cases (or by 6.7%) from 10,317 cases . Most notably, significant decreases were noted for shop theft (-392 cases or -14.4%) and bicycle theft cases which fell by 211 cases (or by 40.5%) from 521 cases to 310 cases.

d. Miscellaneous Crimes, which comprise various offences such as vandalism, trespassing and disorderly behavior, registered 1,570 cases in Jan-Jun 2010, a decrease from 1,631 cases (or by 3.7%) in Jan-Jun 2009.

Only two of the six crime classes registered increases in the first half of 2010, compared to the same period in 2009. One of them – Crimes Against Persons, which refers to crimes where the victim suffers bodily harm as a result of the crime, registered an increase of 7.5% from 2199 cases to 2,365 cases ( or +166 cases). The increase in Crimes Against Persons is largely attributable to an increase in Outrage of Modesty (OM) cases (rose by 11.7%), and acts which endanger others (rose by 14.5%), such as “killer litter”. Members of the public, especially women, are advised to adopt the crime prevention measures against OM appended in Annex B .

The other, which is Commercial Crimes, comprising mainly cheating and related offences, registered a slight increase of 1.3% (from 1,767 to 1,790 cases). The slight increase in Commercial Crimes is largely due to a significant increase in the number of rental scams committed during the first half of this year.

CRIMES OF CONCERN REGISTER DECREASES

During the 2009 Annual Crime Brief earlier this year, Police highlighted 3 key areas of concern, namely an increase in petty theft cases, an increase in break-ins at HDB residences and education/care centres and an increase in female minors being involved in statutory rape cases . We are glad to announce that these 3 areas of concern have registered significant improvements in the first half of 2010 as compared to the same period last year. The details are as follows:

a. Overall decrease in petty theft cases

Petty theft cases, which were highlighted as one of the areas of concern earlier this year, have recorded an overall decrease in the first half of this year as compared to the same period last year. Of worthy mention, cases of bicycle theft fell sharply (by 40.5%) from 521 cases to 310 cases. Shop theft cases also recorded a decrease of 14.4%, from 2,715 cases to 2,323 cases.

b. Fall in break-ins at HDB residences

Break-ins at HDB residential premises registered a decrease of 37 cases (or -19%) in Jan-Jun this year compared to the same period last year. The overall decrease in housebreaking cases is possibly due to a series of major arrests involving the 17 serial housebreakers who were responsible for more than 200 cases of housebreaking, including one who was solely responsible for 21 cases of break-ins at HDB residences. Another prominent serial housebreaker arrested in the first half of this year include a man who is believed to have committed at least 60 cases of break-ins at education/care centres since 2009.

c. Fall in cases of female minors involved in statutory rape²

Statutory rape cases involving female minors under 14 years of age who had consensual sex fell from 38 cases in Jan-Jun 2009 to 25 cases (or -34%) in Jan-Jun 2010. This is a significant achievement and a positive indication of a multi-pronged approach involving the roles of the community, schools, parents, and media in educating our youth on the consequences of underaged sex. Nevertheless, Police will continue to work closely with the various agencies (eg. MOE, MCYS and NCPC) to enhance the existing educational programmes as well as to embark on new intervention initiatives. For instance, we have delivered a talk to youths and their parents on "Teenage Sex and the Law" at a forum at Taman Jurong Community Centre this year. We would also like to reiterate that families should pay attention to the activities of their youth members as most of the perpetrators in such cases are known to the victims (e.g. boyfriends and friends).

PUBLIC EDUCATION EFFORTS IN COMBATING PHONE SCAM CONTINUE TO PAY OFF – SUCCESSFUL PHONES SCAM CASES CONTINUE TO FALL

Overall, the number of successful phone scam cases has continued to fall in the first half of the year. 87 successful cases were reported in the first half of 2010, a decrease of 33 cases (or -28%) as compared to the same period in 2009 where there were 120 successful cases.

a. Notably, there were only 3 successful cases of “Kidnap Scams” reported in Jan-Jun 2010 as compared to 15 successful cases in the same period last year;

b. There were no successful cases of “ Phone Scams involving the impersonation of Supreme Court Officials ” reported in Jan-Jun 2010, as compared to 15 successful cases in the same period last year.

However, Police note that members of the public are still susceptible to the “Lottery Phone Scam”. There were a total of 84 successful cases of “Lottery Phone Scams” from Jan-Jun 2010 where persons were cheated of a total of about $1.6million, as compared to 90 successful cases from Jan-Jun 2009 where $1.3million were cheated.

Members of public are advised to be vigilant and stay wary against these bogus lottery scams, and to adopt the appropriate crime preventive measures. More details on the modus operandi of the different types of phone scams and the respective preventive measures are appended in Annex C.

Director of Operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Lim Kok Thai said, "Although we are heartened that the phone scam situation is improving, Police would nevertheless like to remind members of the public to be vigilant against such scams. While Police will continue to engage strategic stakeholders such as financial institutions (eg. banks and remittance houses) to deter such attempts, scammers have been known to constantly change their modus operandi to prey on unsuspecting victims. A simple way to remind yourself is to just remember that when an offer sounds too good to be true, it is probably a scam.”

KEY CRIME CONCERNS OF 2010

While the overall crime figures for the period Jan-Jun 2010 has dropped. Police would nonetheless like to highlight two key crime concerns, namely:

a. Prevalence of unlicensed moneylending (UML) and harassment cases; and

b. Youth³ involvement in crime

UML cases still a key area of concern despite drop in number of cases

The number of unlicensed moneylending and harassment cases has decreased from 9,424 cases in the first half of 2009 to 8,654 cases (or -8%) in the same period this year. Notwithstanding that, the total number of persons arrested for unlicensed money lending and harassment has increased by almost two-fold (by 88%), to 789 persons in the first half of this year as compared to 419 persons during the same period last year.

More significantly, Police have continued to hit relentlessly at the upper echelons of the loansharking syndicates. In the first half of this year, police had smashed a total of 8 loansharking syndicates as compared to 5 in the first half of last year.

Combating UML – A multi-pronged approach

Police will continue to clamp down on UML activities and those involved. A multi-pronged approach has been adopted to combat loansharking and harassment. Measures include enhancing legislation, stepping up enforcement and working hand-in-hand with the community on various anti-UML initiatives.

For instance, amendments⁴ to the Moneylenders Act 2008 were passed in Parliament and came into effect on 11 Feb 2010 which will see UML offenders liable to stiffer penalties.

The active involvement and close partnership between the community and Police remains pivotal in combating UML activities in our heartlands. For example, through various Community Safety and Security Programmes (CSSPs), the number of Neighbourhood Watch Groups (NWGs) formed with the strong support from the residents and grassroots to combat loansharking and related harassment activities have been increasing. The watchful eyes of these groups have been essential in the arrests of several loanshark runners and also in foiling attempts by loanshark runners to harass the residential units.

Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Ng Boon Gay said, “Our efforts against unlicensed moneylending have shown some initial positive results, with the number of unlicensed moneylending and harassment cases falling by 8%. However, we will not let up on our enforcement efforts against loansharking syndicates and their members. Every single member of the syndicate, regardless of level, can expect to face the full brunt of the law.”

Members of the public who are considering borrowing money from illegal moneylenders should also think twice because of the dire consequences that may follow. Would-be debtors are advised that while loansharks may claim to offer rates of, for example 20% on the principal, in reality, the actual interest rate could be higher. In addition the number of repayments and instalments are left to the whims of the loansharks. Sums repaid are frequently voided, sometimes to zero, if debtors default on any subsequent repayments. Thus, debtors may end up "repaying" the amount borrowed many times over, and spiral into a trap of perpetual debt. The safety of their family and neighbours will be put at risk as loansharks may resort to unscrupulous methods in demanding repayments. There are existing legal channels for loans and members of the public are encouraged to use these channels. Members of the public may call the related agencies such as Credit Counselling Singapore at 1800-225 5227 (Mon – Fri, 9 am – 6 pm ) or email: enquiry@ccs.org.sg. The public can also check on the list of Registered (Licensed) Moneylenders at the following site:

www.minlaw.gov.sg/ipto/corporate/Downloads/listing/list%20of%20MoneyLenders.pdf.

To complement Police’s efforts in combating loansharking activities, the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is also launching a new initiative on 5 Aug 2010 in the form of an hotline (1800-9245664) – under “Project No Ah Long”⁵ – for members of public to provide information on loansharking and harassment activities.

(Note : Please refer to the media statement released by the National Crime Prevention Council today for details on the project).

Youth Involvement in Crime

Another key concern is youth crime. Although the total number of youths arrested for crimes in Jan-Jun 2010 has decreased slightly as compared to Jan-Jun 2009 (from 2,289 persons to 2,086 persons), there was a slight increase in the proportion of youths arrested out of total persons arrested (or one percentage point) when we compare the two periods.

Youths were mainly arrested for theft and related crimes and rioting, which commonly arose from disputes which ended up in fights. Briefly, out of 8,653 persons arrested for overall crime from Jan-Jun 2010, 2,086 (or 24%) were youths. This compares to 9,908 persons arrested for overall crime in the same period last year, of which 2,289 (or 23%) were youths.

Youth Crime – A multi-faceted problem

Youth crime is a multi-faceted problem that requires a multi-agency, multi-stakeholder approach for lasting results. Educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, the social services sector, parents and youths themselves must all play a role in reducing youth crime.

Police will continue to work with schools and educational institutions to prevent youths from turning to crime.

At the same time, Police urge parents and family members to play their part to prevent youths from turning to crime by paying more attention to their activities and the company they keep. They can also remind their loved ones about the severity of participating in illegal activities and intervene promptly should they display tell-tale signs of being under the influence of bad company.

HOLISTIC APPROACH IN CRIME CONTROL

While the overall crime figures have dropped in the first half of this year as compared to the same period last year, Police will not rest on our laurels and will continue to adopt a holistic approach in our overall strategy to tackle crime.

The Police will continue to leverage on new media platforms like the SPF Facebook, YouTube, and Razor TV ‘i-witness’ programme to enhance our reach to net savvy members of the public in an effort to partner the community in combating crime. Police have also set up a Twitter profile as an additional channel to spread its crime prevention messages in cyberspace. We will also enhance our capabilities to fight crime, such as leveraging on technology and forensic evidence to solve cases.

Most importantly, the community support remains pivotal in the combat against crime. Director of Public Affairs Department, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ms Ng Guat Ting stressed the importance of the public’s involvement in keeping Singapore safe and secure, “The Police will continue to tackle crimes and security threats through rigorous enforcement, engagement, and education. However, Police’s effort alone is not sufficient. In this age where Singapore’s changing landscape and demographics bring along new challenges in the security climate, community involvement in safety and security efforts is extremely essential in keeping our neighbourhoods safe and the nation secure. Get involved in safety and security self help programmes. Be vigilant and take action such as reporting any suspicious characters or activities you come across to the Police immediately. Every action, no matter how trivial, can help to deter and detect crime.”

Annex A

BREAKDOWN OF OVERALL CRIME IN JAN-JUN 2009/2010

Annex B

Crime Prevention Advisory against Outrage of Modesty  

General advisory

a. Avoid walking through dimly lit, quiet and secluded places;

b. When returning home alone or late at night, arrange for a family member; or trusted friend to accompany you home;

c. Be alert to your surroundings. If you suspect that you are being followed, remain calm and proceed to the nearest open business premises, crowded area or call the Police to seek help;

Advisory for crowded places

Police would like to remind members of public who are out in crowded places that there may be some in their midst who would seize this opportunity to commit crime. Police would also like to advise the public to be vigilant against opportunists who might commit molest in crowded areas or premises. These culprits would outrage the modesty of the victim and seek to evade detection by blending into the crowd.

Members of public can also take the following precautions to minimise the risk of falling prey to such opportunists:

a. Be wary of strangers who approach you in crowded areas;

b. Stay close to your friends or move around in groups when in crowded places;

c. Avoid contact with unruly crowds

What to Do if Confronted

Should you be confronted, remain calm. Take note of the description of the culprit, e.g. his appearance, clothing, height and other physical details like tattoos or dyed hair. Also note the direction taken by the culprit and his mode of escape. Contact the Police as soon as it is safe to do so.

Annex C

Types of Phone Scams

The “Kidnap Scam”

The “Kidnap Scam” first surfaced in Aug 2007. Generally, the conmen would call the victim and claim that one of their family members had been kidnapped. In reality, the kidnapping did not take place. The conmen would demand the victim to transfer a sum of ransom money to various local and overseas accounts , failing which the “kidnapped” family member would be harmed. Another trend has been observed where the culprits would ask the victim to personally handover or leave the “ransom” at a pre-arranged location locally, usually near an MRT station or park. Also in some instances, the conmen claimed that the alleged kidnapped family member failed to service illegal loan repayments or acted as a guarantor for these loans.

Phone Scams involving impersonation of Supreme Court Officials

Phone scams involving impersonation of Supreme Court Officials were first noted in Sep 2007. Generally, the conmen would falsely claim to be a Supreme Court or Police representative and accuse victims of being involved in criminal offences when in reality, the victims were innocent. The conmen would then ask the victims to make money transfers via remittance houses to close the investigations into their offences. In some cases, the culprits were known to leverage on technology to replicate numbers of local authorities on victims’ caller IDs.

The “Lottery Phone Scam”

In these cases, fraudsters would make unsolicited calls or short message service (SMS) to handphones, claiming that the recipients have won prize money in an overseas lottery. On other occasions, they would send the same notifications to recipients via postal mail, facsimile or the Internet. The recipients would then be directed to liaise with the lottery’s agent or representative. Sometimes, recipients would be asked to provide their personal particulars and bank account numbers to facilitate the transfer of the prize money.

Such lottery winnings do not exist. This “Lottery Scam” is designed to convince and dupe the victims into parting with their money. After deceiving the victims into believing that they have won a lottery, the fraudsters convince the victims to pay a tax or other forms of administrative payments to secure the release of the “prize money”. The fraudsters abscond after receiving the money or they may conjure up more excuses to induce further payments from their victims.

Crime Prevention Advisory against Phone Scams  

The “Lottery Phone Scam”

a. Ignore notifications of a win in a lottery or lucky draw especially when you did not purchase any lottery ticket or participate in any lucky draw;

b. Do not make any advanced payment to claim any prize money. Winning a lucky draw or lottery does not require you to make any advance payment; and

c. Be wary of get-rich-quick offers. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is probably a scam.

Phone Scams involving impersonation of Supreme Court Officials  

a. While it is normal during the course of police work for investigators to inform members of the public over the phone on Court dates and appointments at the police station for police statements, Police will never ask for money to be deposited directly into a bank account. If such requests for property deposits or personal information disclosure are received, they should be reported to the police immediately;

b. All notices to attend court hearings would be by way of post or accompanied by an official letter; and

c. Do not give your personal details such as NRIC and bank account numbers to anyone over telephone or email.  

The “Kidnap Scam”

a. Remain calm and contact your loved-one immediately on his/ her handphone, at the workplace/ school, friends who could be with him/ her, etc, to confirm his/ her safety. Should repeated attempts at contacting him/ her fail, seek assistance from the police immediately;

b. Attempt to verify the authenticity of the caller's claim by asking him questions to verify the identity of the purportedly kidnapped victim, for instance, the number of family members staying together or whether there are pets in the house;

c. Even if you have confirmed that your loved-one is safe, call the police immediately at ‘999’ to report the case;

d. When reporting the case to the police, you should provide the following details to facilitate police follow-up action:
- confirmation that your loved-one is safe.
- demands made by the caller.
- gender and accent of the caller.
- date, time and place the caller had arranged for the ransom to be paid (if any).
- any description of the ransom collector given by the caller (if any).

e. Do not reveal your particulars to the callers; and

f. Do not transfer any money via remittance agencies, banks or any other means to the callers.