Daylight robbery

Being burgled is a distressing experience that can have a lasting effect. It is a violation of your privacy, your home and your humanity. Strangers breaking into your home, stealing your personal items is deeply disturbing and we in the Sai Kung Police Station are determined to combat this. Burglaries are our top priority and will continue to be so.

The good news is that Sai Kung has a low rate of burglaries with just 33 reported from January to June this year, compared with 51 cases for the same period last year. Although these figures show a downward trend, it is cold comfort if you are one of these statistics.

A closer look reveals there are no “crime hot spots”, with no particular village being targeted. Standalone ground-floor village homes in isolated hamlets and daytime burglaries are favoured. Weekends, particularly Sundays, are targeted when helpers and families are likely to be out.

Property stolen is mostly small, high-value items such as watches and wallets. There is a trend for standalone safes to be taken.

We are taking proactive measures to curb burglaries, including enhanced anti-crime patrols in the villages, targeted Police Tactical Unit deployment as well as increased road blocks and vehicle snap checks.

Even if your house is like Fort Knox, your hound could belong to the Baskervilles, and there’s a security guard at your front door, nothing beats a friendly neighbourhood. Building up good relations with fellow villagers is crucial in protecting your home, especially when you are absent for long periods. Tell your neighbours your movements and ask them to keep an eye out. And if something is not quite right, contact the Police immediately.

Hats off, please, for Sergeant Ng Kwok-tung and Sai Kung Police Station for dealing with a recent missing-child report. On one of the hottest days of the year, a five-year-old special-needs boy went walkabout in Sai Kung town centre. Sweeping parties were organised covering the whole town. Sergeant Ng led one of the search units and after a short but intense search, he found the boy safe and unharmed in Wai Man Road Car Park. He was reunited with his relieved mum and dad. Congratulations to Sergeant Ng and all participating officers for a job well done.