Property theft is becoming more and more complicated.

(Baonghean) - Property theft crimes, especially in rural areas, are becoming more and more complicated, causing panic and anxiety among the people. This type of crime is becoming more and more professional and sophisticated, while people's awareness of protecting their property is still lacking.

Open is stolen

Among all types of crimes, theft is the most common but also the most difficult to investigate. For example, in Nghi Loc, since the beginning of the year, the police have investigated and clarified 30 cases of property theft, prosecuted 46 defendants for further investigation and handling according to the law.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Nhan - Deputy Head of Nghi Loc District Police said: "Although the rate of property theft cases has not increased much, the nature and extent of the cases are somewhat more complicated. In some cases, the subjects have formed groups, with specific assignments and discussions before committing the crime."

Two subjects Thai Viet Nhuong and Nguyen Van Kha (residing in Nghi Van commune, Nghi Loc district) were arrested for committing many thefts in Nghi Loc district. Photo: Nhat Tuan

Through investigation of theft cases, Nghi Loc District Police found that, in addition to private homes and offices, Catholic churches are the places that thieves are targeting. Recently, on September 9, Nghi Loc District Police arrested Nguyen Van Dong (born in 1988), residing in Nam Loc Commune (Nam Dan) and Nguyen Duc Manh (born in 1980), residing in the same hometown, for stealing an organ and a sound control set worth about 80 million VND from Lang Anh Parish (Nghi Phong Commune).

In Dien Chau and Yen Thanh districts, from late February to March 2017, many cases of property theft also occurred at Catholic churches. The Criminal Police Department (PC45) coordinated with Dien Chau District Police to establish Project 317TK to fight and clarify the case. After nearly 1 month of investigation and verification, the Project Team identified the perpetrator as Ha Van Lai (born in 1986, residing in Hong Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District). On April 26, the task force arrested Lai while he was hiding in Vientiane City (Laos). Lai confessed to having broken into Catholic churches 12 times to steal 1 television, 1 laptop, 1 amplifier, 1 sound amplifier and 22.7 million VND in cash.

Evidence that Ha Van Lai stole.

Perhaps never before have professional and sophisticated theft crimes appeared as frequently as in recent times. These subjects are often very cunning in choosing places to steal property, methods of theft as well as covering up traces of crime. For example, the theft of property at schools and offices in the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh caused by Cao Xuan Son, residing in Con Cuong town. In just nearly 2 years, Son stole more than 2.2 billion VND by breaking in and using tools to break safes to get cash.

“At night, the subject rode a motorbike alone to other locations, broke the lock, covered himself with a blanket, sprayed the camera with paint or took the receiver to disable the system. The subject also wore gloves when doing the act, only stole cash, and threw away electronic devices to erase traces of the scene, avoiding detection by the police,” said Major Tran Hoa Ky, Captain of Team 4, PC45.

Prevention from awareness

Nghe An is a locality with a relatively high rate of drug addicts compared to the whole country with nearly 7,000 people, this is a potential factor for property theft crimes. Through monitoring and analyzing property theft cases, the Criminal Police Department of the Provincial Police assessed that most of the thieves have criminal records.

“The subjects are usually in debt due to losing bets, gambling, and lottery, so when they have no money, they have the intention to steal. The subjects who steal motorbikes often form groups, divide up the search for areas, and assign specific tasks. As for stealing safes, there are usually only 1 or 2 subjects, and these are experienced, sophisticated subjects. As for stealing small properties in people's homes, most of them are spontaneous or are spoiled, partying teenagers,” said an investigator.

Two subjects Nguyen Van Dong and Nguyen Duc Manh, both residing in Nam Loc commune (Nam Dan), committed many robberies at Lang Anh parish.

According to the police, the methods and tricks of property theft crimes are increasingly sophisticated and cunning. The subjects tend to collude with each other, forming gangs, groups of property theft, robbery, and snatching to operate between districts and provinces. Some criminals operate on the move, quickly leaving the area after committing the crime and disposing of the evidence of the case.

This makes it difficult for the police to investigate and gives criminals the opportunity to remain at large and continue to commit crimes. Meanwhile, the awareness of preserving, self-preserving and protecting assets of agencies, organizations, businesses and people is still limited. They have not proactively protected, self-managed assets and equipped themselves with equipment to protect assets.

Identifying property theft as the most painful and complicated crime, since the beginning of 2017, the Provincial Police have developed and issued a special topic on preventing and combating this type of crime. One measure that is proving effective is organizing calls, education, and deterrence for more than 1,258 subjects with law violations and subjects with suspicious signs of theft. Along with that, proactively developing and sending documents to agencies, units, and businesses in the area, requesting to raise vigilance, strengthen measures to prevent, detect, and denounce property theft crimes.

The provincial police leader said that proactively reviewing, listing, and identifying gangs that commit crimes of theft, robbery, snatching, and consuming property obtained by others, especially mobile gangs operating between districts and provinces, is very important. If the police of units and localities implement this solution well, monitoring, management, and making plans to fight will be more effective. But the most important thing is still prevention, which must come from the awareness and responsibility to protect the property of the people and of organizations and agencies.

Nguyen Hung