KUALA LUMPUR: JINJANG Utara residents are alarmed by rising petty crime, especially snatch theft and robbery, in their neighbourhood, which saw three reported cases in two months.
Yong Siew Yin, 46, said two men in a motorcycle attempted to rob her at her stall across the road from her house at 5am in September.
“One carrying a machete alighted while his partner waited on the bike.
“Feeling frightened, I immediately ran into my house and locked the door.
“Both men were wearing long-sleeved jackets and full-faced helmets. I did not get the number plate, colour or model of the bike as it happened so fast,” she said.
Yong, who did not report the incident, said the two men got away with a gas cylinder.
A few weeks later, Yong’s son, Tay Yong Kong, 22, was mugged in front of their house around 2am.
Tay said two men on a motorcycle approached him as he was opening the gate.
“One robber brandished a machete and demanded that I hand him my wallet. I had no choice but to obey.”
Another incident took place last month in broad daylight around 10am.
The victim, Yap Jun Soung, 24, said he was approached outside his house by a man asking for used boxes before another man suddenly took out a machete demanding that he hand over his valuables.
“Both men got away with my wallet and smartphone. They rode off on different motorcycles. Unfortunately, I did not get the number plates,” he said.
Jinjang Police Station deputy chief sub-inspector Solleh Hanafi said Jinjang Utara, along with Jinjang Selatan, Taman Jinjang Baru and Taman Beringin, was a petty crime hotspot.
“Because of this, our teams patrol the neighbourhood 24 hours on three shifts — 6am to 2pm, 2pm to 10pm and 10pm to 6am.
“There are four to five officers on duty on each shift. They patrol the area on motorcycles or in cars.
“Apart from the Jinjang Police Station officers, Sentul District Police Headquarters, Department of Civil Defence and General Operation Force officers are also deployed to patrol the neighbourhoods.
“Some of the officers who are from the Crime Prevention Unit will be patrolling the neighbourhoods in civilian clothes,” he said.
Solleh said it was important that the residents report every crime or attempt at crime, no matter how petty.
“Every little bit of information helps.”