Car thefts on the rise

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Vehicle thefts here have increased 112 percent from January to June compared to the same period last year. Police attributed much of the increase to the fact that stolen vehicles were becoming easier to sell.

There were 247 cases compared to 116 cases last year.

"The theft takes only three minutes and the vehicle is given an instant makeover," provincial police chief Col. Sukandri said.

Thefts were once common in shopping centers, but now 70 percent of vehicles are stolen from parking lots where vehicles are locked, he said.

He said intelligence officers who failed to report on various crimes would face having their wages withheld. He noted the increase in crimes while reports from his staff declined. "We have to push this in the beginning," he said.

He said the ratio of police to civilians in the province was one to 1,300, but ideally there should be an officer for every 300 residents. (49)