Crimes rampant in Kuching on Saturday nights...

As the weekend comes, I am sure most of us after a long week of work, stress and pressure would just like to spend some time with the family by going out for dinner or meet up with some friends for a drink or two just to unwind and relax.

Nowadays though, that might be the last thing you'd wanna do. Might be smarter and safer just to stay home and watch the Premier League or the Olympics on Astro as crime rate has been on a high lately in Kuching especially on Saturday nights.

'Hungry Ghost Month' ba so maybe it brings out the 'Hantu' in some people. Here is a recap of what happen last Saturday night.....

Around 9.30pm in Matang, a youth along with a few friends smash up a stall selling 'ayam panggang' for no apparent reason. The poor 'ayam panggang' seller was shocked at the attack on his stall as he did not owe money and had no prior misunderstandings with the trouble making youth. But the youth I'm sure didn't expect the other hawkers around the area to gang up and nab him. The youth's other friends upon seeing this fled and the youth got what he deserved, a beating of his life. To the hawkers, well done!!! Hope you guys did bashed him up real good.....Cheers!!!

Around about the same time in front of a row of shophouses at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, a man along with his girlfriend was robbed at knife point. The man lost his gold necklace, wallet and handphone to the theives. The victim and his girlfriend should consider themselves lucky as they were not harmed.

Later at around 10pm around Hilton Hotel, four men brandishing a machete forced a tourist from Perak to hand over his digital camera and other valuables. The victim tried to put up a fight and seeing an attempt to slash him, the victim leaped off the 30 feet incline in front of the hotel's multi-storey carpark and landed on the ground below. Security guards from the hotel upon hearing the commotion rushed to the victim's aid prompting the robbers to flee the scene. Slightly hurt and dazed from the leap, the victim managed still to walk on his own into the police station to lodge his report.

At 1.30am somewhere around the vicinity of Bukit Mata Kuching, a manager of a nightspot was seriously injured when he was bashed up with motorcycle helmets by a group of more than ten youths after he had tried to reprimand them for drinking without paying. I always thought that non-paying customers are the ones courting trouble and not the other way around. Even with the arrival of the Police MPV unit, the youth still didn't stop and continued to bash the manager. Only till one police officer had no choice and had to discharge a shot into the air that the youths stopped, all except for one. As the rest of his friends made their escape the oblivious one still continued his attack on the manager and was subdued and taken into custody by the police.

The last reported crime spree for the night happened at 2.45am at the 3rd Mile Central Park area. Four friends who just exited a nightspot encountered 'a lot' of men armed with various offensive weapons. As the group of men started to charge at them, the four friends quickly got into their vehicle. Upon trying to flee the on coming attackers, their vehicle knocked into a Perodua Kancil as they were reversing out of the parking area. As the vehicle was damaged in their attempted escape, they decide to flee on foot. Luckily the all the four friends managed to escape unscathed but unfortunately not for their vehicle. As they group of men seeing that they could not catch up anymore, they decided to vent their anger on the poor Inokom Atos. The four friends proceeded to lodge a report at the Simpang Tiga police station and claimed that they did not know the attackers or the motive behind the attack.....

All this happened between 9.30pm to 2.45am and these were only the ones that were reported. What about those that weren't. Who knows the exact number of crime cases that occured during that one night alone or past Saturday nights.

With the spike in crime in the city, what measures are the authorities taking to ensure the safety of the locals and tourists?!!

I'm sure they are doing all they can but maybe it's time for the public to contribute as well. Next time you encounter a crime in progress please don't just turn your backs, make an effort to call the relevant authorities. If we act fast enough the authorities might arrive on the scene faster and catch these good for nothing, low life scums!!!