Sandakan: The crime rate for the first eight months this year in the district recorded a slight reduction by 1.57 per cent compared to the previous years, said State Commissioner of Police (CP), Datuk Mangsor Ismail.He said Kota Kinabalu and Penampang showed the most reduction compared to Tawau, which is the district with the highest crime rate.
"Serious crime cases (however) have decreased but there have been numerous reports regarding petty crimes received by police involving thefts of scrap metals, oil palm and telephones," he said.
He was speaking after chairing the Eastern Command Meeting at Hotel Sabah, near here, Monday.
In other developments, police would intensify their efforts in monitoring and curbing smuggling of Syabu in the State.
Mangsor said a series of anti-crime operations are being carried out including at entertainment centres, adding that only a handful of pushers were detained, signaling the decline of the problem.
He pointed out that the police's recent success in seizing eight kg of Syabu, which was about to be couriered from the State to Johor, and at the same time crippling the syndicate was something to be proud of.
He added that the anti-drug operations would also involve traffic police and Road Transport Department to conduct urine test on commercial drivers.
"Based on several cases, we found that public transport drivers are taking Syabu to stay awake for their long distance travels. This must be curbed," he said.
