XN000022-1981-10-14 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1981

-

3

'BEST EFFORTS BEING MADE TO CURB COUNTERFEITING

***

THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING ITS BEST TO CURB COUNTERFEITING OF HONG KONG COINS AND BANKNOTES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON JOHN BREMRIDGE SAID TODAY.

BUT HE DID NOT WISH TO DESCRIBE THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN, BECAUSE TO DO SO WOULD BE CLEARLY OF ASSISTANCE TO CRIMINALS+ HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ANDREW SO.

MR BREMRIDGE SAID THE RECENT REPLACEMENT OF THE OLD, TEN-SIDED $5-COIN WITH THE PRESENT ROUND ONE, WHICH HAS SPECIAL SECURITY FEATURES, WAS DUE PARTLY TO COUNTERFEITING OF THE OLD COINS.

+THIS INFORMATION IS NOW OF LITTLE USE TO COUNTERFEITERS, BECAUSE THE OLD COIN HAS BEEN DEMONETISED- BUT IF OUR INTENTION TO CHANGE THE DESIGN HAD NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC, SAY, 12 MONTHS AGO, IT WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE PROMPTED AN INCREASE IN THE PRODUCTION OF IMITATIONS.

+1 MENTION THIS MERELY TO ILLUSTRATE WHY IT IS NECESSARY TO KEEP PLANS TO COUNTERACT COUNTERFEITING TO OURSELVES,+ HE SAID.

BANK AND GOLDSMITH ROBBERY FIGURES

**

THERE WERE SIX REPORTED CASES OF ARMED ROBBERIES OF BANKS AND 69 OF GOLDSMITH SHOPS BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND SEPTEMBER 30 THIS YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES, SAID TODAY.

LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 30 ARMED BANK ROBBERIES AND 115 ARMED ROBBERIES OF GOLDSMITH SHOPS, HE SAID, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON S.L. CHEN.

WHILE 16 ARRESTS HAD BEEN MADE IN CONNECTION WITH ROBBERIES OF GOLDSMITH SHOPS, NO ARREST HAD YET BEEN MADE IN THE CASE OF BANK ROBBERIES IN 1981, MR DAVIES SAID.

THE PENALTIES IMPOSED BY THE HIGH COURT THIS YEAR FOR SERIOUS ROBBERY OFFENCES RANGED FROM ONE YEAR'S TO 18 YEARS' IMPRISONMENT, WITH THE AVERAGE IMPOSED IN 62 CONVICTIONS IN 1981 BEING SEVEN-AND-A-HALF YEARS' IMPRISONMENT.

14