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Petty crime on the rise in Macau

Crime in Macau is rising this year but the city's security chief says the situation is under control.

Macau reported 5,130 crimes in the first half of the year, up 10 per cent on the 4,647 cases for the same period last year.

Secretary for Security Cheong Kuok-va said the rise was due mainly to theft, robbery, loansharking and the harbouring of illegal immigrants. But there had been a drop in violent crime.

Mr Cheong said the increase in petty crime was the inevitable result of rising numbers of visitors from the mainland.

'Border checkpoints and public areas are swamped with the increased flow of people,' Mr Cheong said. 'This will naturally increase the number of crime cases, particularly petty crimes like theft, robbery and pickpocketing.'

He said more police officers would be posted at checkpoints and crowded areas. A total of 3,757 mainlanders who overstayed in Macau were deported in the first half of the year. Of those, 1,007 arrived under the individual travellers' scheme.

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