CRIME IN CHONG BOON CONSTITUENCY (Particulars)

Mr S. Chandra Das asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the types and number of crimes committed in the Chong Boon Constituency; and (b) what steps or additional steps will be taken to minimize them.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in 1980, there were four cases of robbery, five cases of housebreaking, 14 cases of theft of motor vehicles, and one case of outraging modesty in the area which later that year became the Chong Boon Constituency. Two of the four cases of robbery and the single case of outraging modesty were solved. Of the 14 motor vehicles stolen, eight were recovered.

In the period January to May 1981, there were three cases of robbery, two cases of housebreaking, eight cases of theft of motor vehicles, and one case of outraging modesty in Chong Boon. To-date, one case of robbery has been solved and two of the eight stolen vehicles have been recovered.

The constituency falls under the Police F Division and is covered by the following regular Police patrols:

(a) Vertical policing patrols of the HDB flats are carried out daily by Police full-time national servicemen and reservists. Here, coverage is selective. Where crimes have been committed, patrolling is more intensive.

(b) A team policing car from the Paya Lebar Police Station is deployed daily in Ang Mo Kio New Town. The officers carry out selective checks on suspicious persons and mount road blocks to check on both persons and vehicles.

(c) Two scooter-patrols are deployed daily in Ang Mo Kio New Town.

Over and above the regular coverage I have mentioned, 'F' Division also mounts special anti-crime operations in localities in Ang Mo Kio New Town, including Chong Boon constituency, where the incidence of crime is high. Detectives are also deployed to mount observation and gather information in the area. These anti-crime measures have proved to be effective in keeping the crime rate low and will be continued.

This month, the Police has started a crime prevention project called Neighbourhood Watch. This is a joint project of the Police Force and the Residents' Committees. In Neighbourhood Watch, groups of immediate neighbours are encouraged to organize themselves to protect each other and their homes from criminals. They can start off by acquainting themselves with each other's routine. If they know when their neighbour is out, they can keep an eye on his vacant flat. They can also be on the look-out for strangers. If all the residents are well organized, they can keep out criminals from their neighbourhood, Police officers who are members of Residents' Committees have been urged to take the initiative and form Neighbourhood Watch groups among their own immediate neighbours.

The Neighbourhood Watch project will bring about more personal relationships among residents and greater cohesiveness in an HDB neighbourhood. In the long term, this is the answer to a more secure neighbourhood. Members of Parliament can help by getting every Residents' Committee in their constituency to actively participate in this project.