ENG-1993 — Page 323

PUBLIC ORDER

Crime

The total number of crimes reported to the police in 1993 was 82 564, a decrease of 1.8 per cent compared with 84 056 in 1992. The crime rate stood at 1 395 cases per 100 000 of the population. This represented a drop of 3.6 per cent, compared with 1992.

Violent crime, which includes murder, wounding, serious assault, rape, indecent assault, kidnapping, blackmail, criminal intimidation, robbery and arson, registered a decline in the year, with a total of 17 454 cases recorded, compared to 18 567 in 1992. Robbery, wounding and serious assault accounted for some 21 per cent of the total number of violent crimes in 1993.

The situation regarding vehicle theft improved considerably. Overall, 4630 motor vehicles were reported missing in 1993, a sharp decrease of 33.1 per cent compared with 1992.

The number of robberies involving the use of firearms objects was 291, a drop of 127 compared with 1992.

LA

both genuine and pistol-like

A total of 40 227 crimes, or 48.7 per cent, were detected in 1993, and some 45 042 persons were arrested for various criminal offences. Of the persons arrested, 6 644 were juvenile offenders (aged under 16 years) and 8 733 were young persons (aged between 16 and 20 years).

Organised Crime and Triads

In 1993, there was a marked decrease in armed robberies. The decrease was attributed to a series of successful police operations against armed criminal syndicates and improved co-operation with the Chinese authorities. This co-operation led to more criminals seeking refuge in China being arrested and sent back to Hong Kong.

The overall decline in the number of missing vehicles could be attributed to the vigorous enforcement by the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. Action taken included the neutralisation of a number of major cross-border smuggling syndicates and increasing the maximum sentence for taking a conveyance without authority from three to seven years. Improved car security by manufacturers and owners, as a result of mounting pressure from insurance companies, was also a factor.

A new trend emerged in 1993, featuring an upsurge in the theft and smuggling of left-hand-drive vehicles. It was assessed that the majority of stolen luxury cars were smuggled into China.

Action against triads remained a priority, and resulted in successful prosecutions against both office-bearers and members.

The Organised and Serious Crimes Bill, under study by an ad hoc group of the Legislative Council, will enable the police to tackle organised and serious crimes more effectively. The Bill was designed to give the police more power to obtain information from witnesses; allow the courts to confiscate the proceeds of crime; and enable the prosecution, in respect of certain offences, to provide the courts with more information upon conviction, to assist the courts in awarding more deterrent sentences.

Commercial Crime

The Commercial Crime Bureau's Fraud Division continued investigation into fraud in the trading and financial sectors. The activities of unscrupulous foreign exchange companies caused much public concern, and in one case alone, some 300 investors suffered losses of

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