Police drive to boost awareness of crime

PHUKET TOWN: Police have launched a drive to raise public awareness of ways to guard against criminals, particularly burglars and snatch-and-run thieves. The drive takes the form of a card which can be hung on the doorknobs of people’s homes and which gives the following advice to cut down the risk of burglary: Before you leave the house, make sure that all doors and windows are locked; fit burglar bars to all windows and, if possible, install a burglar alarm; don’t keep a lot of money or valuables in your home; get a dog that barks and during the night put it in a cage so that robbers cannot poison it. The card also advises home owners that if they are going away they can call the police to make regular checks on the house during their absence. They are also advised to call police if they see anyone near their home acting suspiciously. Also on the card is advice on preventing snatch-and-run robberies. It notes that almost all such robberies are committed against women. The robbers frequently prey on people on motorcycles, riding up alongside them, then snatching valuables from the basket in front of the bike, or jewelry from the rider’s neck. The card advises people not to put valuables such as wallets in the front basket, and not to wear wide-necked clothing. It also urges anyone seeing someone behaving suspiciously to call police, who will come and escort the rider to his or her destination. The reverse of the card contains specific advice with tick-boxes, which police fill in before hanging the card on the door. This includes such advice as “Your door locks are not strong enough” or “Please secure your motorbike; it is too easy to steal”. So far, 3,000 of the cards have been distributed. Pol Lt Col Peerayut Karachedi, deputy superintendent of Phuket Town police, said that feedback had been encouraging. And English-language version of the card is being considered.