Lone robbers overtake gangs in bank attempts
ECONOMIC gloom and unemployment is behind a surge in bank robberies, now often committed by individuals instead of organised gangs, social commentators said yesterday.
Fight Crime Committee figures, released by Secretary for Security Peter Lai Hing-ling yesterday, showed bank robberies had soared more than 51 per cent, while pickpocketing was up 33 per cent, burglary up seven per cent, and all theft up 12 per cent.
There were 56 bank robberies in Hong Kong in the first six months of 1995, compared with 37 in the same period of 1994. Many were committed by individuals rather than organised gangs, Mr Lai said.
'I think we are not particularly happy with the overall increase in crime,' he said.
Social workers said the changing type of bank robbers - from organised gangs to desperate individuals - reflected economic depression.
The Society for Community Organisations spokesman, Ho Hei-wah, agreed that economic woes might be driving many to crime.
The Hong Kong Social Workers' General Union spokesman, Cheung Kwok-che, said recent robberies, in which men threatened to explode devices they claimed were bombs, might lead desperate people to think banks were easy prey.
But Neighbourhood Advice Action Council member Tung Chi-fat said he doubted there was enough 'negative reinforcement' to deter would-be bank robbers. This month, a man escaped with $70,000 from a Ka Wah Bank branch in Mongkok, while a Hang Seng Bank outlet in Mei Foo lost $40,000 to a man who threatened to set off a bomb.
The statistics also showed cases of aiding and abetting illegal immigrants were up 35 per cent, and thefts of motor vehicles rose by 11 per cent.
Violent crime increased by three per cent; wounding and serious assault was up 14 per cent; rape and indecent assault rose five per cent; and criminal damage was up six per cent.
Mr Lai said 400 more police would be rostered for beat patrols.
Various departments, including crime and organised crime divisions, would also receive reinforcements. Police have previously agreed rising unemployment is feeding a rise in petty crime.
Mr Lai said the committee had received funds for an anti-crime campaign aimed at youth, due to begin soon. A total of $1.3 million will be spent on education, television and radio announcements aimed at youths and parents, and posters in MTR stations. Police television programmes will also emphasise youth and crime.
Committee member Edward Pong Chong said the committee had decided to adopt a suggestion, made at the Governor's Summit Meeting in March, to widen its terms of reference to include an explicit provision to fight against dangerous drugs.
A total of 53,513 crimes were committed between January and July this year, compared with 49,012 last year.
