Crime tactics changing with the times

By Bhavani Krishna Iyer

ONE Sunday afternoon, I caught sight of a sticker on a car in front of mine that read: "When the power to love takes over the love for power, the world will see more peace". Just by changing the places of the words "love" and "power", a whole lot of difference is made in meaning and impact.

The love for power and money is driving people to extremes, making the world unsafe and the people in it vulnerable.

We have been besieged by emails on all kinds of crimes happening where we live. Some of the crimes are movie-like and hard to believe. The police statistics show an obvious slump in crime rates but are they truly representative of what is happening around us?

Over the weekend, I attended two events where the dinner table conversations inevitably veered towards the attempted rape and kidnap of a young woman at The Curve. We saw the power of the social media when, within hours, the victim's vivid and emotive account was spread in cyberspace.

Most of us who live or work in the vicinity of the shopping mall would recognise the pillars in the car park. At least I did. It could have been any one of us. A friend had the audacity to question if the young lady might have been careless.

Just as we were getting over this, another warning came in on WhatsApp and again, the areas involved were PJ, Bangsar and TTDI!

It read: "New tactic to rob you in PJ".

The message went on to describe the ruse. The perpetrator sprays a liquid on your car tyre, causing it to emit smoke. And needless to say, the minute you step out, you end up losing your valuables, your car and even yourself.

And wait, there was another caution in the message. "Ladies, be careful when you are driving alone."

Here we go again ladies, I thought dispiritedly. The risks we carry being born the fairer sex...

We must have also read the email warning us of yet another ingenious way of robbing unsuspecting victims.

Apparently, a torchlight-like gadget that gives out high electrical pulses -- pulses high enough to enough to make one go limp and even suffer a heart attack -- is being used in daring robberies.

And this gadget, it seems, is freely available from the night markets and it comes dirt cheap, so you and I can afford it, in case we have any reason to want to make anyone go limp.

Driving in PJ has become unsafe; doubly unsafe at night and triply so if you are a woman.

But do not worry, for you can be careful. Careful? The most commonly-preached word is just a notion.

Incidentally, I recently spotted panic buttons at the basement car park of a building in Semantan.

I thought it was brilliant. We should have more building owners install such a facility.

Crime tactics changing with the times

ONE Sunday afternoon, I caught sight of a sticker on a car in front of mine that read: "When the power to love takes over the love for power, the world will see more peace". Just by changing the places of the words "love" and "power", a whole lot of difference is made in meaning and impact.

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