Snatch theft: Stubborn women, persistent men

Although women do not ask to be robbed, more often than not, it is their own ignorance and hard-to-change habits that make them perfect targets for snatch theft incidents.

This is the opinion of crime analyst Kamal Affendi Hashim who said women are part of the gender-discriminated crime, which is on the rise each year compared to other crimes.

“Women are immune to advices. They have made it a habit to place their handbags on the passenger seats despite being told not to do so many times over," said Kamal Affendi.

“Passenger seats are the most strategic place for thieves to pick up things from as they are easily seen."

KAMAL AFFENDI: Women are immune to advices

Kamal Affendi said victims in such criminal cases are categorised into three.

“The first category is when the victim is helpless and lost. The thief sees this situation as the perfect opportunity to rob the victim off valuable things.

“The second category is when the victim has been targetted by the thief becomes a target as the latter may have seen or know that the victim is carrying valuables.

“The third category, meanwhile, are those who have been advised numerous times but they choose to ignore because they think it will not happen to them. They are called the ‘voluntary victims’,” he added.

Meanwhile, Selangor crime investigations department chief SAC Mohd Adnan Abdullah urged every driver, especially the fairer sex, to make use of the MyDistress smartphone application.

USE MYDISTRESS: MyDistress will help you reach the nearest police station as fast as possible MyDistress is a smart-phone application used in combating crime and directly linked to the police.

“Please download the application as it enables the users to signal the nearest police station, with just a click of a button, during an emergency,” he said.

Mohd Adnan also said that Petaling Jaya is one area where women have to be constantly alert as the city has recorded the highest rate of smash and grab cases, with 70 reported cases between January and November last year.

“We believe that the thieves have studies their victims thoroughly before attacking them,” he said.

KL deputy CID chief ACP Khairi Ahrasa said 62 smash and grab cases have taken place in Brickfields alone this year.

“The criminals will usually strike during heavy traffic because it is easier for them to get away.

“Such crime doesn’t necessarily happens at night. Our investigations show that most cases take place between 4 to 6pm,” he said.

Khairi also urged women to carry pepper spray with them.

All women must carry pepper spray

“Place your pepper spray on the passenger seat of your car instead of your handbags. By doing this, one can actually spray it on the thieves before they can grab your belongings.

Avoid becoming a smash and grab victim by taking these precautions:

1. Place your handbags on the car floor of the driver's seat or place it in the car boot. 2. Always be mindful and be alert of your surroundings especially when at traffic lights. 3. Seek help from other drivers by honking or shouting for help when in trouble. 4. Avoid car stickers with personal particulars. 5. Keep your pepper spray with you at all times. 6. Download the MyDistress application in your smart phone. 7. Tint (adhering to regulations set by the Road Transport Department) your car windows as it will be more difficult for thieves to break the windows. 8. If you are a victim of smash and grab, lodge a police report as soon as possible.