KOTA KINABALU: Overall crime in the city dropped five per cent this year to 1,099 cases from 1,156 last year, with house break-ins recording the biggest decline, particularly in Luyang, which saw 56 fewer cases, said city police chief ACP Kasim Muda.
Speaking at a Christmas road safety programme at Kingfisher on Saturday, Kasim said negligence remained the main cause of house break-ins, thefts and road accidents, urging the public to take basic safety precautions during the festive season and school holidays.
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He said police will deploy more than 200 personnel in crime prevention and traffic operations from Dec 23 until year-end, with a special integrated traffic operation on Dec 30 to Jan 1, covering Kota Kinabalu, Inanam, Telipok and other high-density areas.
Despite the overall crime drop, thefts such as mobile phone snatching and shoplifting rose slightly to 380 cases, while fatal road accidents increased to 146 cases, including 12 involving motorcyclists along Jalan Sepanggar.
Kasim advised road users to travel responsibly during the rainy season and urged homeowners leaving town to inform police or use the Balik Kampung VSP application to prevent break-ins, stressing that public awareness and cooperation are key to safety during the festive period.
