Ang Mo Kio residents, business owners join hands with Police to fight crime

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ang-mo-kio-residents/1541396.html

Residents, hawkers and storeholders of Ang Mo Kio Central have joined hands with the Police to fight crime in the area for the first time.

The new joint initiative, called the Security Liaison Alliance Programme (SLAP), was formed last November between the Ang Mo Kio Constituency Merchants Association, Ang Mo Kio Hub Shopping Centre, Hawkers from Block 724 Ang Mo Kio Hawker Centre and the Yio Chu Kang Zone 4 Residents' Committee.

Led by the Police, the programme is aimed at deterring crime, as well as engaging and educating the community on crime prevention measures, particularly during the busy festive season.

Representatives from the shopkeepers and hawkers association said theft and break-ins increase during this period, due in part to complacency and the large crowds of human traffic.

Stakeholders say the watch group will continue past the current festive season, meeting monthly to share crime prevention measures.

The Police will also continue to engage shop owners on a day-to-day basis on crime prevention to better understand security concerns, and to craft response strategies.

Since its formation, the police said the number of reported theft cases in the area fell from 28 in November 2013 to 17 cases in November 2014. The Police hope the programme will be rolled out to communities beyond Ang Mo Kio in the future.