MARINE DEPARTMENT LIBRARY
was 14,015 compared with 15,009 in the preceding year and 18,971 cases in the 1956/57 period. The number of cases cleared up totalled 9,387 (66.9%) compared with a detection rate of 55% obtained the year before. The value of property stolen was $2,330,857 of which $416,356 was recovered.
Burglary and Housebreaking
93. 333 offences of this type were committed, compared with 349 in the year 1957/58 and 618 in 1956/57. The detection rate was 43.5% compared with 37% and 26% in the two previous years.
94. Shop, store, office and other breakings totalled seventy six including three cases of sacrilege and ten attempted breakings. Thirty eight (50%) of these were cleared up. Property stolen in all breaking cases was valued at $197,142, of which only $17,113 was recovered. 95. Notable during the year was the case of a Chinese burglar who within a period of five months committed a series of fourteen night breakings of the houses of prominent residents, in each case taking wine and silverware. His identity was finally established by the Fingerprint Bureau as a person who was responsible for a similar series of thefts in Singapore some years previously, and he was recognized and arrested by patrol constables after his photograph had been circulated.
Robbery
96. The number of robberies reported dropped by thirty one to a total of ninety five for the period. Firearms were carried in ten cases as against three in the previous year. Property stolen was valued at $163,789 of which $2,360 was recovered.
97. The year was notable for a series of well planned and daring armed robberies which took place towards the end of 1958 and in the first month of 1959. In all of these large amounts of cash or valuables were stolen, and in one case the victim was shot dead by the robber. However, the great majority of robberies during the year were com- mitted in isolated areas or dark stairways, by hooligans whose loot often amounted to only a few dollars.
Larceny from the Person
98. The number of cases reported during the year was 1,006-a decrease of 169 compared with the preceding period and the lowest annual total for many years. The majority of offences of this nature, which include both pickpockets and snatchings, take place in the congested town areas, particularly in Kowloon, and are difficult to
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