ENG-2011 — Page 373

Public Order | 321

During the year, there were 890 cases of taking conveyance without authority, a drop of 7.4 per cent or 71 cases compared with 2010. The number of cases involving motorcycles increased by 20.4 per cent while those involving light goods vehicles decreased by 46.3 per cent.

Domestic Violence and Child Protection

The Police continued to prevent and combat domestic violence and child abuse by working closely with other government departments and non-governmental organisations. In collaboration with the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and Education Bureau (EDB), the Police provided training in identifying and handling domestic violence and child abuse cases to concerned professionals. To address local needs, the Police also organised promotional campaigns on prevention of domestic violence and child protection at district level.

Commercial Crime

To help maintain a safe and stable business environment in Hong Kong, the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) continued to be responsible for the investigations into syndicated and serious commercial crimes. The number of these cases remained stable in 2011.

The CCB successfully prosecuted 58 complex and serious fraud or counterfeit cases. One notable prosecution involved a listed company, in which three directors were convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment between nine and 12 years for 'conspiracy to defraud', involving $300 million. The CCB also continued assisting overseas jurisdictions with 61 investigations completed under the Mutual Legal Assistance Scheme.

The number of reported cases of deception perpetrated by gangs of confidence tricksters operating in the streets in 2011 increased when compared with 2010. Seven such syndicates were smashed. Crime prevention publicity campaigns were conducted on a regular basis. In respect of lottery frauds, the number of cases. remained stable.

Aided by stepped up operations and effective intelligence partnerships with Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies, the bureau seized 3 584 counterfeit Hong Kong banknotes during the year.

Technology Crime

The Police received 2 206 reports of technology crime during 2011 involving a total loss of about $148.5 million. About 83 per cent of the reported cases were related to online games, e-business fraud and unauthorised access to computers.

The Technology Crime Division (TCD) of the CCB strengthened collaboration with various stakeholders including the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team, the Office of Government Chief Information Officer, as well as overseas strategic partners such as INTERPOL. A number of crime prevention seminars were organised in conjunction with the banking and financial sectors to raise public awareness and provide advice on information security.