KOTA KINABALU – Kota Kinabalu police say the city’s rising crime index is due to lacking permanent employment and homelessness, among others, stemming from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
District police chief Habibi Majinji said based on the index between 2020 and 2021, there was a general increase in the number of break-ins and thefts in the city.
He said that most of the suspects hauled in for questioning cited economic difficulties for their actions.
“They comprise individuals who do not have permanent jobs, the homeless, undocumented migrants and drug abusers aggravated by the Covid-19 lockdown,” he told The Vibes, here today.
He said most of those arrested are repeat offenders, mostly drug abusers, as well as a small number of suspects who had just lost their jobs during the lockdown.
From January until February 18, thefts at buildings and homes went up from 48 cases in 2020 to 71 cases during the same period in 2021.
House break-ins for the period went up by 14 cases to 67 cases this year from 53 cases last year.
Habibi said that up to three individuals arrested for a home invasion near Luyang said they all lost their jobs during the lockdown.
“They used to be waiters and construction workers who were pressured into criminality by the hardships of the pandemic,” said Habibi.
He added that the police will continue to restore order and peace, assuring the public that law enforcement will keep them safe during the ongoing pandemic. – The Vibes, February 19, 2021
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