Snatch Theft Problems

The Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) calls for the inculcation and adoption of an anti-crime culture among all Malaysians to make our communities free from crime.

This involves education, awareness creation and prevention which must be done in schools, educational institutions, work places, voluntary organizations and the public as a whole.

The MCPF welcomes the on-going campaign against snatch thieves involving the various branches of the police force.

While more uniformed personnel are being deployed for street patrols to fight snatch thefts and road-side robberies, there is also a need to tackle the problem at source.

The fact has been established that most snatch thieves are drug addicts who need to support their habit.

The MCPF feels that there should be profiling of snatch thieves so that we will know their background and why they are into it.

If we are to deal with the problem of snatch thieves at source we need to tackle the problem of drug addicts. As long as this problem is not resolved, many drug-related crimes will continue to occur.

Providing employment to rehabilitated drug addicts to keep them away from crime is therefore crucial. If they do not have employment they will continue to be involved in petty crimes such as snatch thefts.

I therefore suggest to both the government and the private sector to look into the employment of rehabilitated drug addicts and help to re-integrate them into society so that they can get settled down and do not have to live a life of crime.

In the meanwhile, the MCPF calls on law enforcement agencies, including local authorities and NGOs to work with one mind and commitment to fight the snatch-thief scourge which is a bane in our society.

Various measures should be considered for implementation and these include:-

a. The police should make available more manpower and resources to nab snatch thieves throughout the country.

b. All local authorities should introduce initiatives and implement the guidelines under the safe city concept to provide safety features such as constructing barriers to separate pedestrian walkways and roads.


c. Pedestrians must enhance their vigilance against snatch thieves and put into practice the guidelines provided by the MCPF and the Police as to how they can prevent snatch thefts.

d. The public must go all out and give help to victims to nab snatch thieves and hand them over to the authorities.


e. More stringent punishment must be meted out to those convicted of snatch thefts commensurate with the seriousness of the offence.