House burglars are at it again

PETALING JAYA: Home burglars have started their activities again after a few months of lying low.

Selangor police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan said there were indications that these gangs, some of whom included professional thieves from Latin America, had resurfaced.

“However, most of the house break-ins are committed by opportunistic criminals who are from the area,” he told reporters yesterday during the Bandar Puteri Community Security Carnival held near the Puteri 7 police station in Puchong.

He said he had attended numerous community functions to remind house owners to be vigilant in securing their homes.

He said a huge majority of break-ins occurred at double-storey terrace houses but police were still puzzled as to why they had been targeted.

“It could be that the neighbours are not as tightly knit as others. We are still analysing the data,” he said.

On another matter, he said police would begin inspecting construction site kongsi (workers quarters) for stolen motorcycles in a bid to reduce crime statistics.

Motorcycle theft is among the highest contributors to the average 30,000 cases reported annually in the state. The culprits are mainly youngsters who cannibalise the machines for spare parts, he said.

“Foreign workers sometimes buy stolen motorcycles from thieves to commute within their construction sites. Students also buy stolen bikes because they are cheap,” he said.

DCP Shukri said companies needed to ensure their foreign workers did not posses stolen property.

On wayside robberies, he said taking personal precautions was the best way to discourage assailants.

“Crime can happen whenever there is an opportunity, and it is up to us to deny criminals that opportunity,” he said, adding that such steps included not making oneself a target by carrying large purses.