Crime rate at 7-year low

By Zhang Yan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-14 08:26

Crime calls to Beijing police dropped dramatically in the first quarter of the year - the lowest in seven years.

Zhao Feng, from the municipal public security department, told METRO that the police command center received 15,000 reports of criminal cases this year, down 14.1 percent from the same period last year.

Zhao attributed this to a more efficient and reliable police command mechanism, with more effective distribution of police forces. Moreover, police were able to reduce burglary and theft cases, and increased patrols helped curb street crime such as robbery.

Zhao said that in some districts such as Chaoyang, Haidian and Fengtai - where 70 percent of the city's criminal cases took place - the number of reported criminal cases dropped by more than half.

Gang crimes and crimes relating to migrant workers dropped by 24.5 percent.

Police also completed investigations into 5,760 criminal cases, an increase of 4.1 percent, the highest since 2001, Zhao said.

One success story for police took place on Feb 4 when a man armed with a knife robbed a 30-year-old woman in Qinghe, Haidian district.

Tang Liye, 21, an unemployed man from Inner Mongolia, targeted single women who came home late. A female victim, surnamed Li, had finished work late that night and Tang followed her home.

When she reached her home, Tang pointed the knife at her neck and demanded her wallet. Li gave her wallet, with 500 yuan inside, to Tang who ran away.

Li called the police hotline immediately. Within the hour, Tang was detained by Haidian police and he also confessed to a previous robbery.

Meanwhile, 10 community police officers were given awards for their good performance in maintaining public security.