Penang has successfully recorded a 20.1 percent decrease in its crime index between January and November this year, said state Crime Investigation Department chief SAC Zahruddin Abdullah. 

He said the figure surpassed their Key Performance Index target of 20 percent.  

"There were 9,011 cases reported as of November this year compared to 11,281 for the same period in 2010," he said in Georgetown today.

The incidence of snatch thefts saw a significant lowering with 1,088 cases this year compared to 1,793 for last year while house burglaries went down to 445 cases so far this year, in marked contrast to 1996 reported in 2010, said Zahruddin.

Motorcycle thefts however have gone up by 10 percent, he added.

"But we are strengthening our monitoring from time to time.  Motorcycle owners must be more careful because the thieves are upgrading the tools they use to steal," he elaborated.

Among the areas where motorcycle thefts were most prevalent were East Seberang Prai and the North Eastern district, he said.

- Bernama