"10-3" Thieves.

The table where my daughter Rubyanne (pix) was surfing.

                  The drinks the 'thieves' left behind.

I have just posted an article yesterday regarding thieves categorised as “pick-pocket” and “push-pocket”. Another category of thieves just happened in my own home at Kg. Babah. I categorise them as “10-3” thieves when two men who came to drink beer at SJD Kedai Runcit, snatched away a laptop computer from my daughter.

The incident happened this afternoon at 2.00pm at SJD Kedai Runcit when two guys, both dressed in black T-shirts and jeans dropped in to drink a set of beer and a can of Coca-Cola.

I was resting inside my room at that time and my 14-year old daughter was surfing with her lap-top computer outside while, at the same time, manning the Kedai Runcit. Two dark complexion Temorese-like or Bugis-like nationalities came up and ordered their drinks.

At first my daughter was accompanied by my worker who attended to these two men. While they were drinking, they pretended to order some foods and my worker went to the kitchen to prepare their order. Moments later my worker left for the kitchen, the two men grabbed hold of the computer, detached the power cord from the computer and left with it, leaving the power cable behind still intact onto the wall socket.

My daughter at once screamed to alert me when the ‘thieves’ snatched away the laptop computer from her, literally right under nose. When I came out they were already speeding away in a white car coupe fast back, which was parked, ironically, towards the main gate.

Police from Penampang was alerted immediately to inform the other Police Peronda to locate the vehicle and the two men as described above. The police arrived at the scene to take statements from my daughter at 2.39pm.

Even in broad daylight, this thing can happen at anytime, any place. 

Is this the Sign of Times?  

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I was so disappointed by the effectiveness of the coordination between the 'Polis Peronda' (WNQ 6719) and the CID Section of Penampang Balai Polis. I was told to make a Police Report within 24 hours to which I agreed. The Polis Peronda personnels (3 of them) also instructed me not to disturb the beer cans and beer glasses that were left behind by the robbers as the CID personnel would be coming to dust for finger prints. This is quite normal in criminal case.

By 4.00pm, the CID personnel did not show up until I called Balai Polis Penampang. I was informed by the CID personnel that the Polis Peronda never called to inform him about the incident and the urgency of dusting for fingerprints. The finger prints, I thought, would greatly help them in the course of their investigation, or to place the finger prints into their data base.

As I had to rush for my prayer meeting at Tg. Aru, I therefore called back the Peronda personnel at 4.00pm to find out why the CID personnel did not turn up. To my consternation, he did not even inform the CID Section. Earlier on, he had assured me that he would do so. He did not call the CID and told me to call him instead. 

I called the Balai Polis at 08871222 and was connected to CID Section. I had to relate the whole story again to the Lady Personnel what had transpired. She insisted that I should come to Balai to make a formal Police Report of the incident before they could make further investigation, i.e. to dust for the finger prints. I certainly agree to this procedure. 

Earlier on, I was told by the Peronda Police Personnel to make the Police report within 24 hours. He also left his instruction not to disturb the beer cans and beer glasses on the table until the CID personnel had come to take the finger-print-dusting procedures. 

If I were to make the Police report at the 24th hour, is it logical to leave the Beer Cans and glasses on the table for the next 24 hours? Is it not to their advantage to immediately carry out the criminal investigation by getting the finger prints without delay, and which they can also use them for future investigation, or update their data base?

It was only at 6.00pm in the evening when the CID personnel finally called to inform me that he had come to my house already to do the dusting for finger prints. I sent to him an sms to his tel. no. (0193596001) informing him of my report as per my blog above.

This is a case of poor coordiantion (or refusing to talk to each other) between the two sections under one Department. The OCPD of Balai Penampang should look into this matter and try to improve the efficiency and public image of his Police personnels.

For the information of OCPD Balai Penampang, the dusting did not produce the desired result. The beer cans and glasses left by the robbers were still wet -  aggravated by the mists caused by sprays of rain droplets during the heavy rain in the evening - and hence the dust could not adhere properly to show a clear imprint of the robbers' fingers.

The OCPD Penampang is reminded here to check whether the Polis Peronda personnel (WNQ 6719) had actually alerted the other Perondas in Penampang District, KK, or even in Papar to look for the car described above. He (Peronda personnel) had assured me before he left at around 3.00pm that he was going to do it. If not, again the Peronda personnel had lapsed in his policing duty.