Property Crime Incidence and Patterns in Malaysia From 2007 to 2017

Abstract

Crime is a social problem faced by all communities and ranges from property loss or damage to violent events such as murder and robbery. Crime trends are associated with many factors including mental health, unemployment rates, educational status and policing strategies. In this article, we provide property crime datasets for Malaysia from 2007 to 2017. The data were gathered from all reported cases at district police stations and contingent (state and federal territory levels) headquarters. This information was extracted from the Malaysian Police Reporting System (PRS) and divided into five categories; theft, car theft, motorcycle theft, van/lorry/heavy machinery theft and housebreaking. Overall, there were 1,361,320 property crime cases were reported from 2007 to 2017. Theft and motorcycle theft were observed to be the most common types of property crime in Malaysia. In general, property crime cases continue to decline from 163,317 cases in 2007 to only 77,562 in 2017 due to government initiatives and a proactive policing policy. The same downward trend in overall property crime was also observed at state and federal territory levels and is mainly due to a drop in the volume of theft and motorcycle theft cases.

Criminological Insights: A Comprehensive Spatial Analysis of Crime Hot Spots of Property Offenses in Malaysia's Urban Centers

“…Historical data reveal a significant upsurge in property crime and violence in Malaysia from 1980 to 2004, marking a 120% increase. However, the subsequent decade (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017) witnessed a notable decline, largely attributed to the implementation of the National Transformation Program in 2010, which introduced a series of social programs and proactive policies (Jubit et al, 2022;Hakim et al, 2022). The National Key Result Areas (NKRAs), focusing on crime reduction, anti-corruption, and improvement in living standards, are believed to have significantly contributed to the reduction in property crime rates.…”

“…Despite advancements in crime recording technologies, unreported crimes create a discrepancy between official data and the actual crime levels, underscoring the necessity for continuous research and the development of robust prevention strategies. This discrepancy highlights the challenge of comprehensively understanding criminal activity, compounded by underreporting and the significant variance between recorded crimes and actual incidents (Jansson, 2008;Hakim et al, 2022). Moreover, the effectiveness of crime prevention measures, including policing and the broader criminal justice system, plays a crucial role in shaping public confidence in government actions (Abd Karim, 2015;Hakim et al, 2022;Sidhu, 2005).…”

“…This discrepancy highlights the challenge of comprehensively understanding criminal activity, compounded by underreporting and the significant variance between recorded crimes and actual incidents (Jansson, 2008;Hakim et al, 2022). Moreover, the effectiveness of crime prevention measures, including policing and the broader criminal justice system, plays a crucial role in shaping public confidence in government actions (Abd Karim, 2015;Hakim et al, 2022;Sidhu, 2005). This research is dedicated to examining property crime patterns in Malaysia, specifically within Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya, from 2015 to 2020, and assessing the impact of national crime prevention initiatives implemented since the inception of the National Transformation Program in 2010 (Hakim et al, 2022;PEMANDU, 2010;Shamsudin, 2008;Shamsudin et al, 2013;The Star Online, 2011).…”