Raise awareness of property theft crimes

Potentially complex

According to statistics from the authorities, from 2018 to 2022, on average, property theft crimes accounted for 42.2% of the total number of criminal cases in the province. In 2022 alone, there were 339 property theft cases in the province, accounting for 34%. This shows that the property theft situation still has many potential complications. Of which, the most common is property theft in private homes (accounting for 60%).

Typically, in September 2022, in Yen Toan block, Ha Huy Tap ward, Vinh city, there were continuous cases of theft of motorbikes and electric bicycles of people parked in the area of ​​boarding houses. On September 22, 2022, Ha Huy Tap ward police arrested Vi Van Manh (born in 1997), residing in Quy Hop district (renting a room in Yen Toan block) for the act of "Theft of property", confiscating 1 motorbike worth about 7 million VND.

During the investigation, Vi Van Manh confessed to having committed three other thefts in the Yen Toan area. Based on his testimony, the police seized two more motorbikes, one electric motorbike, and one electric bicycle.

Vi Van Manh - the subject who caused many thefts in Yen Toan block, Ha Huy Tap ward, Vinh city and the evidence. Photo: Duc Vu

Similarly, in early January 2023, in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, there were also continuous cases of property theft. For example, Mr. Nguyen Van B.'s house was robbed of a pair of cows worth nearly 30 million VND; Ms. Le Thi N.'s house was broken into and an electric motorbike worth about 10 million VND was stolen. After investigation and verification, on January 11, the authorities arrested Tran Dinh Dung (born in 1990), residing in Lien Hong hamlet, Kim Lien commune, for the act of "Theft of property". Dung confessed: From the end of December 2022 to the beginning of January 2023, he committed 3 property thefts in Nam Dan district and 2 other property thefts in Hung Nguyen and Nghi Loc districts with a total property value of about 70 million VND.

Tran Dinh Dung - the subject who caused many property thefts in Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc districts. Photo: Pham Thuy

In addition to property theft in residential areas, there is also a problem of property theft in places of worship and relic sites. Typically, on February 14, 2023, Nghi Loc District Police successfully broke up a case, arresting 4 subjects, all residing in Nghi Loc District, for the act of "Theft of property".

The seized exhibits included more than VND20 million in cash, 8 broken safes, 4 mobile phones, 2 motorbikes, 4 iron cutters, pry bars and other evidence. Through the investigation, the subjects confessed that from the beginning of December 2022 until the time of arrest, they had broken into spiritual relics such as temples, pagodas, and churches in Nghi Loc district and neighboring areas, causing more than 10 safe thefts, with a total loss of over VND200 million.

During the crime, the subjects covered their faces, assigned someone to keep watch and someone to directly break the safe to steal money.

Evidence of a property theft case. Photo: Pham Thuy

According to the authorities, most thieves do not have stable jobs and are lazy. Some are involved in social evils such as lottery, gambling, drinking, etc. Some professional thieves tend to connect and collude within and outside the area; operate on a mobile, inter-provincial, inter-provincial basis with increasingly sophisticated and reckless methods and tricks, causing great damage to property and negatively affecting the lives and activities of people, agencies, units and businesses. Meanwhile, the application of preventive measures, especially measures to overcome loopholes and shortcomings that are the causes and conditions for the occurrence of theft crimes, has not received due attention.

The subjects caused more than 10 safe thefts at temples, pagodas, and churches in Nghi Loc district. Photo: Duc Vu.

Strengthen prevention

To improve the effectiveness of prevention, combat, and control of crime in general and property theft in particular, many localities have proactively coordinated with functional agencies to strengthen propaganda work on preventing and combating property theft crimes with many diverse, rich, and appropriate forms and methods associated with localities, regions, and target groups; prioritizing the use of internet platforms and social networking applications to propagate and receive information reflecting and denouncing crimes.

Quynh Lap coastal commune (Hoang Mai town) uses social networks to propagate the law. Photo: Gia Huy

In addition, promoting and mobilizing social resources to install security camera systems in public areas, roads and households is also a useful solution in preventing and stopping property theft or tracking down criminals.

For example, in Thanh Chuong district, the community security camera model has become an "extended arm" of the police force in ensuring security and order. Up to now, 35/38 communes and towns have built and deployed the "Community Security Camera" model with more than 500 cameras. Through the camera system, Thanh Chuong district police have verified, investigated and clarified many cases, including 25 cases of property theft.

Quy Hop District Police presented "Peace Keychains" to people in Banh village, Chau Quang commune. Photo: Hoai Thu

In many other localities, the movement "All people protect national security" has been promoted through the construction and replication of advanced models and examples associated with the activities of "self-defense, self-management, self-protection, self-reconciliation" at the grassroots level. Up to now, the whole province has built and maintained the effective operation of 460 self-management steering committees, nearly 40,000 self-management teams on security and order, 346 advanced models and examples of the masses participating in protecting security and order, of which 270 models have operated effectively, such as: Crime denunciation mailboxes, security keychains; typical families in security and order...

Among them, there are many models that have been commended and replicated nationwide by the Ministry of Public Security. For example, in Hung Tan commune (Hung Nguyen), the model "Peaceful gong" has been surveyed by the VO5 Department of the Ministry of Public Security and issued a notice requesting local police to refer to and apply. Accordingly, in any hamlet in this commune, you will see a gong hanging in the yard of the community cultural house. Every 10:00 p.m. in winter and 10:30 p.m. in summer, police officers in villages and hamlets will ring the gong to remind families that it is time to go to bed at night, maintain public order, and not stay out late. According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Tam - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Hung Tan commune: The Party Committee and government of Hung Tan commune have also established 41 self-management groups on security and order with 933 members, 4 model self-management groups with 100 members in the villages... Thanks to that, people's awareness of vigilance and law enforcement has been raised, security and order have been ensured.

Peaceful gong sound in Phan village, Hung Tan commune (Hung Nguyen). Photo: Gia Huy

On the part of the functional sector, in addition to firmly grasping the situation, strictly managing the area and subjects; organizing peak periods of attack and suppression of all types of crimes in general, property theft in particular, and strengthening coordinated patrol activities in the area, especially in key areas, it is necessary to firmly grasp the movement and changes in population, household registration, residence management, business lines with conditions on security and order; people who have completed their prison sentences, drug addicts in society do not create conditions and possibilities for committing crimes.

At the same time, based on the investigation of property theft cases, review and synthesize methods, tricks, causes and conditions for crime occurrence, shortcomings in property management and protection, thereby advising on propaganda work, guidance and directly applying highly effective preventive measures.

However, along with the drastic participation of functional agencies and localities in the fight against and prevention of crime, each citizen, agency, unit and enterprise also needs to raise vigilance and proactively protect their property to minimize the causes and conditions for subjects to take advantage of property theft activities.