23 percent drop in number of vehicle thefts
25 Mar 2015|1,971 views
Even though motor vehicle theft cases have fallen to a five-year low, nearly one is stolen a day - with most cases occurring in Johor, Malaysia, reported The Straits Times.
Statistics compiled for the first time by the General Insurance Association (GIA) showed that there were 341 vehicle thefts last year - 22.7 percent fewer than the year before and the lowest number since the statistics were first compiled in 2010. Of the lot, 68.3 percent were in Malaysia, and of the thefts in Malaysia, 96 percent happened in Johor.
The GIA, which said cars made up the vast majority of vehicles stolen, attributed the drop in cases to "better public awareness". Executive Director Derek Teo said, "When we saw that cases were spiking around October and November 2013, we launched a programme to educate motorists on the high incidence of theft and precautionary measures they needed to take."
This was done mainly through direct mailers by various insurers to their customers. Tips like locking car doors, even at petrol kiosks; investing in a steering lock; and parking in well-lit areas were given. Some insurers also told their customers that sport utility vehicles were the main targets. "We also informed the police about our findings," Mr. Teo said.
He added that prevention is better than cure as cars stolen in Malaysia are typically not recoverable. And one is reportedly stolen every 24 minutes. "In Singapore, more often than not, cars are stolen for joy rides," he noted. "But in Malaysia, it's more serious. They are re-exported, and older models are cannibalised for spare parts."
Even though motor vehicle theft cases have fallen to a five-year low, nearly one is stolen a day - with most cases occurring in Johor, Malaysia, reported The Straits Times.
Statistics compiled for the first time by the General Insurance Association (GIA) showed that there were 341 vehicle thefts last year - 22.7 percent fewer than the year before and the lowest number since the statistics were first compiled in 2010. Of the lot, 68.3 percent were in Malaysia, and of the thefts in Malaysia, 96 percent happened in Johor.
The GIA, which said cars made up the vast majority of vehicles stolen, attributed the drop in cases to "better public awareness". Executive Director Derek Teo said, "When we saw that cases were spiking around October and November 2013, we launched a programme to educate motorists on the high incidence of theft and precautionary measures they needed to take."
This was done mainly through direct mailers by various insurers to their customers. Tips like locking car doors, even at petrol kiosks; investing in a steering lock; and parking in well-lit areas were given. Some insurers also told their customers that sport utility vehicles were the main targets. "We also informed the police about our findings," Mr. Teo said.
He added that prevention is better than cure as cars stolen in Malaysia are typically not recoverable. And one is reportedly stolen every 24 minutes. "In Singapore, more often than not, cars are stolen for joy rides," he noted. "But in Malaysia, it's more serious. They are re-exported, and older models are cannibalised for spare parts."
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