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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1984
STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT AMONGST THE KISIDENTS AND ITS EFFECT ON FIGHTING CRIME, THE REGIONAL COMMANDER REVEALED THAT A ''GUARD YOUR NEIGHBOUR SCHEME WAS BEING TRIED OUT IN SHATIN AND KWAI CHUNG.
**WHAT THE SCHEME DOES IS TO UNITE 15 OR SO HOUSEHOLDERS TO MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE TO EACH OTHER FOR THEIR SECURITY AND SAFETY.
''FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WILL APPOINT SOMEONE TO BE ON-DUTY EACH DAY SO THAT IF THE OTHER RESIDENTS ARE GOING OUT, THEY CAN INFORM HIM TO KEEP AN EYE ON THEIR HOMES AND CALL US IF THERE IS ANYTHING AMISS, * MR SMALLSHAW EXPLAINED.
HE SAID HE WAS PLEASE TO SEE THAT THE PILOT SCHEMES HAVE MET WITH A GOOD DEGREE OF SUCCESS AND ARE POPULAR AMONGST THE PEOPLE TRYING THEM OUT.
J MR SMALLSHAW ALSO TOUCHED ON VEHICLE CRIME. ALTHOUGH STEAL ING CARS HAS DECREASED THIS YEAR, WE STILL GET OVER 100 CASES A MONTH,' HE SAID, ''SOME ARE JUST TAKEN FOR JOYRIDES OR FOR WHAT THE THIEF CAN GET FROM THE INSIDE BUT OTHERS ARE STOLEN BY WELL ORGANISED GANGS WHO STRIP THE CARS OF ALL THE VALUABLE PARTS AND THEN DUMP THE SHELL. THESE GANGS ARE OFTEN CONNECTED WITH THE RACING FRATERNITY.'
TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM, MR SMALLSHAW SAID A SPECIAL VEHICLE CRIME UNIT HAD BEEN SET UP INVOLVING BOTH TRAFFIC BRANCH AND CID. "'EACH SECTION HAS MUCH TO OFFER AND I HOPE THAT BY COMBINING THEIR EFFORTS EVEN GREATER SUCCESS THAN WE HAVE HAD ALREADY WILL MATERIAL ISE," HE ADDED.
WHILE SATISFIED THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES IS A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK, MR SMALLSHAW SAID THAT CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC WAS NEEDED TO HELP REDUCE CRIME AND TO DETECT A GREATER PROPORTION OF WHAT IS BEING COMMITTED AND DETECTED.
MR SMALLSHAW'S REVIEW ON CRIME AND POLICING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL BE TELEVISED ON ASIA TELEVISION ENGLISH CHANNEL AT 7.25 PM AND TVB PEARL AT 7.30 PM TODAY (SATURDAY).