Kota Kinabalu sees 20% drop in crime

There was a 20.64% drop - a reduction of 465 cases - in the number of criminal cases reported to the city police last year.

However, city police chief Ass Comm Jauteh Dikun said there was a slight increase in the instances of rape and house break-ins during the day.

“The number of rape cases rose by three from 54 while there were 151 cases of break-ins, up from 113 previously,” he said.

Jauteh credited the overall improvement in crime index to the cooperation and hard work from the force's staff and officers.

“But we will work harder to ensure that crime continues to drop,” he said, adding that the officers would be drawing up new plans and mobilise more patrols in the city as well as involve the community in their fight against crime.

With 855 out of the 1,788 cases solved by the police last year, Jauteh said the rate of cases solved had also improved by 4%.

Meanwhile, City Traffic and Public Order chief DSP Peter Umbuas said 19 motorcycles and two vehicles were seized during a massive road block between Dec 31 and Jan 1.

Nine men, he said, were also arrested for various offences, such as failing the alcohol breath test.

Source: The Star