POLICE LAUNCH NIGHTLY OPERATIONS TO REDUCE CRIME IN KL

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Bernama) -- If you are a nocturnal person and like
to be up and about in the city in the wee hours, you are likely to be stopped
for questioning by the police.

The police have launched crime-prevention operations at several crime-prone
locations in the city to curb armed robbery and snatch thefts.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Ku Chin Wah said the number of armed robberies
in the city had increased to 2,254 between January and April this year compared
to 1,249 in the corresponding period last year.

The number of snatch thefts in the first four months of this year had risen
to 1,206 compared to 606 in the corresponding period last year, he added.

Ku said that in the police operation in the wee hours of today, 1,837 people
were checked and 37 of them were detained for robbery and drug addiction.

"Four men were held in Brickfields on suspicion of armed robbery and four
more in Sentul for similar offences. The others were drug addicts and illegal
immigrants.

"We also checked 1,089 vehicles -- 722 of these motorcycles, 333 cars and 34
vans and lorries. Three motorcycles were seized on suspicion of having been
stolen machines," he said.

Ku said the police operations would continue until the crime rate dropped to
a satisfactory level.

"We hope that the launch of the police operations would spark off an
initiative for the people to also join in the fight against crime," he said.

-- BERNAMA