Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak (centre), releases crime figures recorded in the first half of 2015.
Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak, said the police would step up efforts in preventing and combating crime to maintain a stable and secure environment in Macao. Disclosing the latest crime figures at a press conference on 21 August, Mr Wong said the number of crimes reported in the first half of this year saw a slight drop of 0.9% compared to the corresponding period last year, with no or low-level of serious crime. The police conducted 7,025 criminal investigations in the first six months of the year, down 0.9 per cent with less 65 cases. Violent crimes, however, showed a rise of three per cent to 410 cases, the increase mainly in false imprisonment. Other serious crimes, such as murder, kidnap, and grievous assault, remained at the level of zero or low. Usury went up 39.1 per cent to 153 cases while false imprisonment rose 112.5 per cent to 170 cases. Mr Wong stressed the surge of gaming-related crimes showed little correlations to the drop of gaming revenue, but a result of strengthened law enforcement. The police would stay vigilant to the possible impact brought by the gaming industry. Meanwhile, there were 127 cases of telephone fraud, decreased from 144 cases in the same period last year. Cases involving telephone scammers pretending to be personnel of the mainland authorities and banks happened mostly in April and May, but after strengthened promotion and co-operation with the mainland the number became fewer in June, Mr Wong said. Crimes against society fell by 6.1 per cent to 460 cases, among which using forged documents and transferring counterfeit money plunged 39.3 per cent and 55.4 per cent respectively, plus six cases of arson in the first half of this year. There were 32 cases of juvenile crimes, with increase of two cases, involving 56 young people. Illegal immigrants and over-stayers caught in the first six months saw a sharp decrease to 16,702, among them 1,462 were from overseas and 15,240 were from the mainland. In the first half of 2015, the police had prosecuted 3,037 taxi irregularities, including 730 cases of overcharging (24%) and 919 cases of refusing to take passengers (30%).