Over the past ten months, 5,109 criminal offenses have happened in Ho Chi Minh City, up by 144 cases, or 2.9 percent, compared with the same period last year, local police reported.

>> Crime on rise in HCMC>> HCMC considers measures to combat street robberies>> HCMC to mobilize forces to crack down on crime These figures were released by Major General Phan Anh Minh, deputy director of the city Police Department, at a meeting held on Tuesday between the city police and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, about the crime prevention and control.

Such criminal offenses killed 108 people, injured 577 people, and caused a total damage of over VND61 billion (US$2.88 million). Compared to the same period last year, the death toll reduced by three, the number of injured people increased by 36, and the damage decreased by VND43 billion. Most of these offenses were recorded in District 9 and Binh Thanh, Tan Binh, Go Vap, Binh Tan and Thu Duc Districts. An increase was recorded in crimes such as theft, intentional assault, rape, swindles to appropriate assets, illegal detention of people, and kidnapping children, while a reduction was seen in such crimes as murder, robbery, extortion, and acting against duty law enforcement officers, Minh said. Noticeably, the trend in which thieves break into houses, offices and tenements for stealing is on the rise, the official said. In addition, many underground gangs have recently arrived in the city from northern provinces and committed crimes, worsening the situation, he added. The city police are strengthening patrols and boosting control over all residential areas, especially places vulnerable to crime, in order to better protect people and property, Minh said.Strengthened responsibility Speaking at the meeting, Deputy PM Phuc said he highly appreciated the great efforts of the local police in driving back crime, but much more actions should be done to improve their efficiency in combating crime. He called for a strengthening of responsibility of police officials in fighting crime. “The chief of police of a locality must be held responsible for failing to fight crime in that ward or locality,” Phuc said.

At the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry of Public Security and the Supreme People’s Procuracy also highly valued efforts of the city police and gave some advice on how to improve performances in crime fighting.

Senior Lieutenant General Le Quy Vuong, Deputy Minister of Public Security, advised that police strengthen control on entities whose business activities are subject to conditions required by laws. These entities are discotheques, bars, karaoke shops, boarding houses, massage shops, and some others, he said. Speaking at the meeting, Nguyen Van Dua, deputy standing secretary of the city Party Committee said local police, in conjunction with its neighboring localities, are launching campaigns to crack down on crime. The city government will continue to seek effective measures to drive back crime and improve safety for local residents, Dua said.