XN000022-1988-12-29 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1988

GAMBLERS

"THIS OFTEN RESULTS IN

LOSING MORE THAN THEY CAN AFFORD AND THEY END UP IN THE RELENTLESS CLUTCHES OF LOANSHARKS.

"IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR A DEBTOR TO TURN TO CRIME TO HELP PAY OFF HIS DEBTS.

SO FAR, POLICE HAVE SMASHED TWO MAJOR TRIAD GAMBLING SYNDICATES.

MR HALLIDAY STRESSED THAT ACTION WOULD BE MAINTAINED ΤΟ ERADICATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TRIAD AND QUASI-TRIAD INFLUENCE IN SHA TIN.

ALSO OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO SHA TIN POLICE ARE ROBBERIES IN STREETS AND PUBLIC PLACES, INDECENT ASSAULTS ON WOMEN AND A MORE RECENT TREND OF YOUTH GANGS ROAMING THE STREETS.

"DUE TO INCREASED POLICE EFFORT AND OTHER SOCIAL FACTORS, THE FIRST TWO CATEGORIES HAVE SHOWN A DECREASE OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, BUT OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO REDUCE THEM FURTHER BY MORE STREET AND HIGHRISE PATROLS ON ONE HAND, AND BETTER INVESTIGATIONS AND INTELLIGENCE ON THE OTHER," SAID THE DISTRICT COMMANDER.

ON JUVENILE

"AND WE ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH TACTICS TO TACKLE STREET GANGS.

DELINQUENCY, MR HALLIDAY SAID WHILE IT STILL CONSTITUTED A MAJOR PROBLEM, THERE WERE ENCOURAGING SIGNS THAT IT WAS BEING CONTAINED.

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"AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WE WERE ARRESTING, ON AVERAGE, WELL OVER 100 JUVENILES A MONTH IN SHA TIN, HE SAID, "BUT THE FIGURE HAS FALLEN BY ABOUT A THIRD DURING THE THIRD QUARTER OF THE YEAR.

"WE HAVE A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES EITHER ON-GOING OR PLANNED. THE MOST IMPORTANT OF WHICH BEING THE SHA TIN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ACTION GROUP FORMED IN JUNE.

"MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, BOTH IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR AND SO COLLECTIVELY HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE UPON WHICH TO DRAW IN FORMULATING ACTION PLANS TO TACKLE DELINQUENCY."

ON THE QUESTION OF SECURITY OF PREMISES, MR HALLIDAY URORD OWNERS AND RESIDENTS OF INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PREMISES TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE POLICE CRIME PREVENTION BUREAU OR CONSULT THE SHA TIN POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE.

tr HE SAID: IN ADDITION TO ANY FINANCIAL LOSS, A BURGLARY OFTEN LEAVES A PERMANENT SENSE OF INSECURITY IN THE MIND OF THE VICTIM.'

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SUMMING UP,