CRIME IN BEDOK NORTH (Preventive measures)

Encik Saidi Shariff asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many incidents of house-breaking, thefts and other criminal offences in Bedok North were reported to, and dealt with by, the Police in 1980; and (b) what steps have been taken by the Police to prevent such incidents from happening again, particularly in Neighbourhoods 6 and 7 where the residents have just moved in.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, in 1979 there were 17 robberies, 28 house-breakings and 68 thefts of motor-vehicles in Bedok North HDB Estate. In 1980, there were again 17 robberies but only 15 house-breakings and 64 motor-vehicle thefts. These figures indicate that the crime situation in this Estate has been brought under control and the number of incidents slightly reduced in spite of the fast expansion of the estate and population since 1979.

The Bedok North Estate, including Neighbourhoods 6 and 7, is within the Police 'G' Division. Two team-policing cars manned by six police officers from the 'G' Divisional Headquarters Station at Joo Chiat cover the estate 24 hours a day. The patrol cars not only respond to emergency calls but also carry out preventive checks on suspicious persons and mount road blocks. In selected areas these patrol teams also patrol on foot. There is also one scooter-patrol manned by two police officers covering the estate between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily. During selected periods, members from the Police Task Force carry out saturation foot patrols. Policemen in plain-clothes are also deployed for observation and intelligence gathering duties.

In addition, foot patrols are performed daily by the full-time Police National Service reservists between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and by the part-time SCNS between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.

The Crime Prevention Officer of the Joo Chiat Police Station visits residents of the estate regularly to advise them on physical security of their premises. The Police had also organised Crime Prevention Exhibitions to make residents aware of the need and the methods of preventing crimes. Two such exhibitions were held in 1980 and one has just been held this month.