The above slogan is widely used in Singapore to warn citizens not to be complacent about the fact crime rates are low in Singapore. Crime rates are higher in Malaysia although they have come down after the government’s increased focus on this area, including putting a lot more police on the streets. This increased police presence has been quite visible to long-term expats and we were very pleased to witness a police car catch a snatch thief when they drove round the corner just as he was running after committing the offence.
One common crime is breaking car windows to steal items of value. This is quite likely to happen if you leave the car unattended with items visible inside, but can also occur when you are in the car. It’s not uncommon when cars stop at traffic lights. An easy way to avoid this is to ensure no items of value can ever be seen through your car windows by placing them in the car boot or, if its small, like a handbag, laptop or briefcase, under the seat or at least on the floor.
Snatch thefts of women’s handbags seem to have declined but still happen often enough. Women should keep their handbags close to them and as far from the road as possible, since most thieves are on motorbikes.
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