Possible increase in break-ins this festive season

KUALA LUMPUR: Home break-in cases are expected to increase during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday this year as the country transitions into the endemic phase.

Sentul district police chief, ACP Beh Eng Lai said more people had been staying home during the festive season in the past two years due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) enforced nationwide, thus resulting in less break-ins.

"We recorded 28 cases in Sentul district in 2019 and the figure dropped to 19 cases in 2020. In 2021, only 14 cases were reported.

"After two years of not being able to return to balik kampung, we expect many houses this year will be left empty (during the festive season). This is a challenge for the police - to protect those houses against robberies," he told Bernama in an interview.

Beh said effort by the police to carry out periodic operations to eradicate home break-ins will start with the Home Safety Campaign.

The campaign was launched nationwide today in conjunction with the Aidilfitri season.

It seeks to deter crime by having the police conduct spot checks and regular patrols in registered neighbourhoods during the holiday season.

Some 106 police officers from the Sentul district will be involved in the campaign, patrolling hot spots such as Jinjang, Kepong and Sentul.

"We have informed the local communities about the campaign to encourage those who would be going back to their hometowns to register their homes. We will check on registered houses at least once a day.

"The form is available at the nearest Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (neighbourhood watch area) or can be accessed online via Facebook and Whatsapp," he said.

Beh also advised people to take extra precautions by ensuring their homes are properly locked up before they leave and that the premises are well-lit. He also advised those who could afford it to have security cameras installed.

"Those travelling are also advised to be careful and not drive fast especially when it is raining heavily. Remember that while we are allowed to celebrate in our hometowns, SOPs set by the government still need to be observed so as to curb the spread of COVID-19," he said.

A resident of Taman Ehsan Kepong, Ahmad Nabil Ismail, 27, said his family has already registered their home under the Home Safety Campaign prior to leaving for1 their hometown in May.

Ahmad Nabil said he was informed of the campaign through his local community residence WhatsApp group.

"We've had several break-ins in my neighbourhood. That's why I filled out the form, as a precautionary measure to protect my home while we go on a long leave," he told Bernama.

Meanwhile, a resident of Flat Sri Perak, Bandar Baru Sentul, Nur Aqilah Aina Aizhar, 26, said she wasnot aware of the campaign and hoped more would be done to promote it.

"This is the first time I'm hearing about this campaign. We usually look after each other's homes around here so we're less worried when going back to our hometowns," she said.

-- BERNAMA