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OVERVIEW |
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The crime situation registered an
improvement in 2007. Overall crime reported in 2007 fell from 33,263 to
32,545 cases when compared to 2006. Overall crime rate also fell from
742 to 695 per 100,000 population in 2007, which was the third-lowest in
ten years. |
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Housebreaking and related crimes fell, from
1201 cases to 925 cases. In particular, the offence of housebreaking
registered only 865 cases, which is the lowest in the last 20 years. |
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Theft and related crimes[1], which generally
constitute more than half of overall crime each year, fell for the
second year running from 20,301 to 19,522 cases in 2007. |
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Of the six crime classes[2], only
commercial crimes recorded a significant increase of 330 cases.
Violent property crimes increased slightly while crimes against
persons and miscellaneous crimes did not register any significant
change. |
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Police are particularly concerned with
confrontational property crimes against the elderly[3], and cheating
and related offences in 2007. Specifically, elderly victims falling
prey to snatch theft and robbery increased by 71 persons, from 170
to 241 in 2007. |
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Elderly victims of cheating and related
offences also rose from 97 to 115 persons in 2007. The emergence of
various cheating phone scams targeting the unsuspecting public
contributed to the rise of cheating and related offences. In
addition, there were also concerns over statutory rape and outrage
of modesty cases involving youths. |
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The number of arrests made by the Police
marginally decreased from 19,639 to 19,371. For youth arrests[4], a
total of 4,135 youths were arrested for crime in 2007, as compared
to 4,280 in 2006. Six out of every ten youths arrested were involved
in shop theft, other theft or rioting. |
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CRIME CLASSES |
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Theft and related crimes |
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Theft and related crimes registered
19,522 cases in 2007, down 779 cases from the 20,301 cases in 2006.
The major sub-categories, including shop theft, theft occurring at
residences, commercial and hotel premises, and theft at public areas
such as eating places, all registered decreases. |
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Housebreaking and related crimes |
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Housebreaking and related crimes
registered 925 cases in 2007, and down significantly by 276 cases
compared to the 1,201 cases in 2006. In particular, the number of
housebreaking cases, at 865, was the lowest for the last 20 years. |
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The large overall decrease could be
mainly attributed to fewer break-ins at industrial premises (from
178 to 119 cases), commercial premises (from 386 to 333 cases) and
private residential premises (from 171 to 120 cases). Break-ins at
childcare/education centres, a key concern for the past few years,
also fell from 62 to 30 cases in 2007. |
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In addition, Police also arrested 18
serial offenders in 2007 who were responsible for more than 170
cases of housebreaking. A Police-community partnership in this area
is the initiative where portable window and door alarms were
installed at family service centres and education centres. Upon
hearing the alarm, community watch groups on the floors above these
premises would call Police immediately. |
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Commercial crimes |
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Commercial crimes comprising mainly of
cheating and related offences registered 3,489 cases in 2007,
compared to the 3,159 cases in 2006. The increase is attributed to
different variations of cheating phone scams using the lucky
draw/lottery, kidnap and impersonation of court officials/police
officers ruse. Such phone scams, practically unheard of in 2006,
claimed 378 victims who lost $4.6m in 2007. |
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Crimes against persons |
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Crimes against persons registered 4,084
cases in 2007, compared to the 4,103 cases in 2006. This category
refers to crimes where the victim is an individual and suffers
bodily harm as a result of the crime. It includes offences such as
murder, rioting, rape and outrage of modesty among others. |
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There were 18 murders in 2007, compared
to 17 in 2006, all of which were isolated and unrelated. All, except
one, were solved. Excluding statutory rape cases, rape fell from 80
in 2006 to 72 in 2007. |
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More..... |
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1 Theft
and related crimes include other theft, theft in dwelling (others),
shop theft, theft of bicycle, theft from person, etc and also
includes the index crimes motor vehicle theft and snatch theft.
2 Crime
classes refer to the six crime classes of crimes against persons,
violent property crimes, housebreaking and related crimes, theft and
related crimes, commercial crimes and miscellaneous crimes.
3 Refers
to victims who were aged 60 years and above.
4 Refers
to persons aged 7 to 19 years. |
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Source:
www.mha.gov.sg News Release 11
Jan 2008 |
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Related Article: |
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Singapore Crime Situation 2006 |
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