Hong Kong's overall crime figure rises by 9.2 pct in 2019: official

Hong Kong's overall crime figure in 2019 rose by 9.2 percent compared to the previous year, despite a downward trend for the previous 12 consecutive years, the head of Hong Kong police said on Monday, warning against the increasing participation of young people in crimes and the weakening law-abiding awareness of the public.

The overall crime figure increased by 5,000 cases, or 9.2 percent, to 59,225 cases in 2019 compared with 2018, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's Commissioner of Police Tang Ping-keung said at a media briefing.

The overall law and order situation in Hong Kong had shown a downward trend for 12 consecutive years, with the number of crimes falling from 80,796 in 2007 to 54,225 in 2018, according to statistics provided by Hong Kong police.

The law and order situation in Hong Kong remained stable in the first half of 2019, with the overall crime figure falling by 4.7 percent from the same period in 2018. However, the continued violent and illegal activities in the second half of 2019 not only offset the 4.7-percent decline but also led to the 9.2-percent whole-year increase, Tang said.

The crimes that increased remarkably include those directly derived from the radical demonstrations, such as criminal damage, arson, obstruction of public security and doxxing. They also include crimes such as robbery and burglary, which increased as the police crime prevention effort and resources were diluted due to the unrest, he added.

Tang pointed out that about 40 percent of those arrested in connection with the violent and illegal protest activities claimed to be students, and the percentage of people aged under 18 among the arrested has shown an upward trend, warning against the trend that more young people are taking part in crimes.

He also warned that the law-abiding awareness of the public tends to be weakening due to the justifying and glorifying of violent and illegal acts by some people in the community, especially those with legal background.

During the past nine months, the radicals have been upgrading their acts from blocking traffic and hurling bricks to setting fires and throwing petrol bombs, even using firearms and bombs, Tang said, warning that condoning or glorifying these violent and illegal acts may lead to a "disaster for the rule of law."

The police have seized multiple explosives and five real firearms in the past months, and have found four remote-controlled bombs placed in public places after the Chinese new year, the police head said, condemning the radicals' acts as "terrorism."