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SUNDAY, MAY 24, 1992

JOIN FORCES CALLED TO CURB CAR THEFTS

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THE CRIME PREVENTION BUREAU (CPB) WILL SOON PUT OUT A CAR PARK MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK AS

PART OF A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO COUNTER THE CONTINUING PROBLEM OF CAR THEFTS.

WITH APRIL EMERGED AS THE WORST MONTH FOR THE STEALING OF A POPULAR LUXURY MAKE IN THE PAST YEAR, A CPB SPOKESMAN TODAY (SUNDAY) APPEALED TO ALL PARTIES CONCERNED TO JOIN FORCES TO FEND OFF ATTACKS BY CAR THIEVES.

IN APRIL, HE NOTED, THERE WAS A DRASTIC RISE IN THE NUMBER OF LUXURY CARS REPORTEDLY STOLEN. FOUR OF THE MOST POPULAR MAKES STOOD AT A TOTAL OF 109, COMPARED WITH 71 RECORDED IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH, AN INCREASE OF 54 PERCENT.

ONE EUROPEAN MAKE ACCOUNTED FOR 67 OF THE TOTAL, A RISE PERCENT WHEN COMPARED WITH SIMILAR FIGURE REGISTERED IN MARCH.

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THE CPB SPOKESMAN SAID THE BUREAU HAD BEEN IN CONSTANT LIAISON WITH INSURERS, MOTOR TRADERS, CAR MANUFACTURERS AND CAR PARK OPERATORS AS WELL AS OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WITH A VIEW то MAPPING OUT LASTING SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM.

HE NOTED THAT THE BUREAU HAD ALSO HAD REGULAR MEETINGS WITH CAR PARK OPERATORS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO IDENTIFY WAYS OF IMPROVING SECURITY AT CAR PARKS.

THE COMPILATION OF THE CAR PARK MANAGEMENT

POSITVE OUTCOME OF THESE MEETINGS.

HANDBOOK WAS ONE

"INITIATIVES TAKEN ON THE PART OF THE CAR MANUFACTURERS HAVE DEMONSTRABLY PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CARS FALLING PREY TO CAR THIEVES.

"SUCH INITIATIVES UNDERTOOK BY THE MANUFACTURER OF A POPULAR JAPANESE LUXURY MAKE, IN THE FORM OF ENHANCED BUILT-IN ANTI-THEFT DEVICES AND TIGHT CONTROLS OVER SPARE PARTS STOCK, HAVE EFFECTED A NOTICEABLE DROP OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS REPORTS OF SUCH MAKE, "HE ADDED.

IN THE NUMBER OF MISSING

TO KEEP CAR THIEVES AT BAY, CAR OWNERS, WATCHMEN AND SECURITY GUARDS, CAR PARK OPERATORS COULD ALL CONTRIBUTE IN THE BATTLE, HE SAID.

HE STRESSED THAT THE CHANCE OF HAVING ONE'S CARS STOLEN WOULD BE GREATLY REDUCED IF THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES WERE OBSERVED:

* ALWAYS LOCK THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY AND TAKE THE KEYS YOU, EVEN IF YOU ARE LEAVING THE CAR FOR JUST A MOMENT;

WITH

* KEEP ALL PROPERTY INSIDE THE CAR OUT OF VIEW ANY VALUABLES WHERE THEY CAN BE SEEN;

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