Bonus-filled wallets could make a particularly tempting target
for pickpockets who might be prowling the nation's busses and
trains during the coming Spring Festival holiday.
"Thieves would also like to get a year-end bonus," Wu Heping,
spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, joked yesterday
during an online chat with netizens on the ministry's website.
He reminded the public to look after their possessions while
traveling during the Spring Festival, especially migrant workers
who are returning to their home provinces with their yearly
earnings in hand.
"Our experience has shown that there are more thefts and
robberies during the festival because of the huge passenger flows,"
Wu said.
The Ministry of Communications has estimated that some 60
million people have hit the road every day since February 10. The
festival, which is the most important holiday on the Chinese
calendar, starts on Saturday this year.
Wu also warned of the possibility of thefts and robberies inside
or near banks, as more people tend to go to banks during the
festival to deposit or withdraw their savings.
As a countermeasure, the ministry has urged local police bureaus
to dispatch more plainclothes police officers to financial
institutions such as banks and insurance companies.
Wu said the public should remain vigilant at crowded places,
too. "The number of criminal cases would drop by 60 percent if the
public took basic precautions," he said.
The ministry did not provide any data on the number of thefts
and robberies that occurred during the last Spring Festival, noting
only that there were 3.65 million such cases in all of last
year.
The ministry also offered the public some tips and suggestions
to frustrate pickpockets and ensure a safe holiday:
Do not display money or valuables while traveling.
Do not overload vehicles or drive after drinking.
Pay attention to the people around you while making deposits or
withdrawing money at banks.
(China Daily February 15, 2007)