Fewer motorcycle thefts this year

PETALING Jaya, Gombak and Shah Alam in Selangor may have recorded the highest number of motorcycle theft cases in the state, but thanks to active police patrols, there has been a reduction in the number of reported cases.
Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said active policing on the streets, based on an established crime pattern, had helped to minimise vehicle theft cases.
Overall, Selangor recorded a total of 11,138 motorcycle theft cases for this year. Out of this figure, the three districts, Petaling Jaya, Gombak and Shah Alam saw 2,193, 1,530 and 1,331 cases respectively.
DCP Tun Hisan said the figures for motorcycle theft in Selangor in 2010 stood at 13,751 while it had dropped to 12,959 cases last year.
“We are glad that the number of cases has declined for the second year since 2010.
“Our revised strategy in policing, coupled with stepped-up search operation to locate stolen motorcycles have reduced the incidence of thefts,” he added.
DCP Tun Hisan said motorcycles remain a popular target for criminals because they were not difficult to steal.
“Motorcycles are small and can be moved with ease; this makes them vulnerable to theft,” he said.
He added that Selangor police had gone all out to act on reported cases. A total of 6,288 and 3,256 motorcycles were recovered last year and this year respectively.
“To keep things in perspective, the estimated number of motorcycles on Selangor’s roads is 500,000 to one million units within a day and we urge owners to take all measures to curb theft.
“Thieves steal motorcycles to resell the whole vehicle or strip them down and sell the parts.
“Based on police intelligence, some stolen motorcycles have been smuggled out in tongkang (barter trade boats) and sold in Indonesia,” he said.
DCP Tun Hisan advised motorists to protect their investment and make them less appealing to thieves.
“We must make it difficult for them to steal. You can use two locks, park the bike where it is visible to the public and attach an alarm.
“It might not be enough to deter a determined thief but it might cause him to move to a weaker target,” he said.
DCP Tun Hisan added that in some cases, motorcycle owners had left their vehicles unlocked, sometimes with keys still in the ignition.
“Some just leave the engine running to run errands outside the post office or the neighbourhood store.
“We have had numerous crime talks about this and we hope our advice to not be complacent is heeded,” he said.