XN000022-1990-04-04 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1990

POLICE ACTION AGAINST CAR THEFT

章

OF

POLICE ACTION TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM OF VEHICLE THEFT INCLUDED ADVISING VEHICLE OWNERS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THEFT, MONITORING OF VEHICLES ON THE STREET AND INVESTIGATION OF ALL REPORTED CASES VEHICLE THEFT, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON ALISTAIR ASPREY, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHAN YING-LUN, MR ASPREY SAID THAT THE NUMBERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES REPORTED STOLEN THE PAST FIVE YEARS WERE AS FOLLOWS:

YEAR

NO. OF VEHICLES REPORTED STOLEN

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

3.149

2,967

2,954

3,535 4,401

"STATISTICS ON THE NUMBER OF STOLEN VEHICLES SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED OUT OF HONG KONG ARE NOT AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, POLICE RECORDS SHOW THAT OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, MORE THAN 14,000 VEHICLES, REPRESENTING OVER 80 PER CENT OF THE VEHICLES REPORTED STOLEN THE SAME PERIOD, HAVE BEEN RECOVERED IN HONG KONG,' HE SAID.

A NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS HAD BEEN CONCLUDED RECENT YEARS, ESPECIALLY AGAINST THOSE INVOLVED STOLEN VEHICLES OUT OF HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

DURING

SUCCESSFULLY

IN

IN TRANSPORTING

ARREST OF 354

DURING 1988, INVESTIGATIONS RESULTED IN THE PERSONS, INCLUDING SEVERAL GROUPS RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING STOLEN VEHICLES TO CHINA.

MR ASPREY SAID THERE WERE 411 PERSONS ARRESTED IN 1989, INCLUDING SOME CHARGED WITH STEALING MOTOR VEHICLES AND SHIPPING THEM TO THAILAND AND MALAYSIA.

"THE POLICE HAVE DEVELOPED A SYSTEM OF REGULAR LIAISON WITH THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT, POLICE FORCES OVERSEAS, AND VEHICLE GEMAILERS AND INSURERS TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND TO ENLIST

SISTANCE IN COMBATTING THIS FORM OF CRIME,

HE SAID.

THEIR

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