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The amount of time required at workplace is screwing up family as parents have lesser time to spend with their kids. With FTs, fighting jobs with us, many had to work extra just to make us more worthy but the FTs can put in all the time as they're mostly here alone.
As for the spike in bicycle theft, my 'garang guni' man told me that it is likely to be committd by PRC. His bike got stolen recently (he had been parking outside his flat for about 7 years without problem) when many PRC started moving into his neighbourhood.
As for the spike in bicycle theft, my 'garang guni' man told me that it is likely to be committd by PRC. His bike got stolen recently (he had been parking outside his flat for about 7 years without problem) when many PRC started moving into his neighbourhood.
Four out of the six crime categories saw decreases, with a significant 23.7 per cent fall in violent property crimes. -- ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
WHILE the latest statistics indicate fewer crimes are taking place on Singapore streets, police have pointed out two areas of concern possibly linked to the economic downturn: petty thefts and loansharking.
In a release detailing the half-year crime situation, the police said that overall, crime cases in the first half of this year totalled 16,504.
This is a 1.3 per cent drop compared to the same period last year.
Crimes against people, violent property crimes and commercial crimes all registered a fall.
The public also seems to have wised up to phone scams. Conmen cheated those they rang up of $1.4 million in this year's first half, $3 million less than the same period last year.
However, the number of people - especially youths - who have been caught for loansharking activities has risen.
One in five - or 81 - of the 417 people caught for this crime was aged 19 and below.
In the same period last year, only 21 youths were caught.
Petty crime like the theft of bicycles also went up by 246 cases to 10,280.
'The increasing number of petty theft cases is postulated to be caused by the current economic downturn,' the police said.
MORE YOUTHS IN LOANSHARKING
One area of crime which has spiked is loansharking.
There were 9,395 reported cases of loansharking and harassment in the first six month, and 417 persons were arrested, a jump from the 207 arrested during the same period last year.
Among them, 81, or one in five, were youths, a notable jump from the 21 youths nabbed during the same period in 2008.
For loansharking, youths may be sentenced to detention in Reformative Training Centres (RTC). In addition, harassment causing damage to property or harm to persons is also punishable with caning.
First time offenders found guilty of operating as an unlicensed moneylender, or assisting in the operations of an unlicensed moneylender face a fine of up to $200,000 or imprisonment for 2 years or both. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to $200,000 and imprisonment for up to 5 years.
The Police also stated that first time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment face a fine of up to $40,000 or imprisonment for up to 3 years or both while repeat offenders face a fine of up to $40,000 and imprisonment for up to 6 years.
In addition, where damage is caused to property or hurt to persons, a caning sentence will also be imposed.
