Popular tourist destinations in Kuala Lumpur are now deemed to be hotspots for snatch thefts.
According to the Dang Wangi district police, a whopping 365 snatch theft cases were reported just last month alone.
NST quoted district police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainol Samah as saying that statistics in the area showed no improvement in snatch theft cases for the same period last year. “In January, we recorded 365 snatch theft cases in the district. The figure corresponds with the same period last year. We receive around seven to eight police reports daily on snatch thefts in these areas,” he said.
He added that the KLCC vicinity, Bukit Bintang, and Pasar Seni (Central Market) are now the top 3 snatch theft hotspots, and urged foreign tourists to be more cautious when walking around in the city.
In the same NST report, Zainol revealed that the police have recently arrested 4 teenagers including 3 college students for snatch thefts cases targeting foreign tourists around KLCC. The teenagers, all 19, from Pantai Dalam were nabbed at Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Changkat last Thursday (11th February).
Snatch theft cases are, of course, not limited to the said hotspots.
Last month, a video of a snatch theft in broad daylight outside Bangsar Shopping Centre went viral on social media. The 2-minute clip, taken by the mall’s CCTV camera, showed the thief snatching a woman’s handbag and riding away on his motorcycle, dragging the woman on the ground for several metres.
The victim, a 37-year-old Japanese housewife, suffered scratches to her left arm and thigh.
We urge our readers to be extra wary of their surroundings whenever they’re out and about in the city. Always keep a close eye on your valuables and hold your bag on the side away from the street if there are motorbikes around.
Sources: NST, MMO, The Star Online, Bernama via malaysiakini / Featured image from michaelwtravels.
