Snatching, robbery and banditry cases have been rising in Yangon more than a year after the military coup of 1 February 2021, said Yangon’ residents.
There were only pickpocket cases, under the previous civilian government. But, snatching and banditry cases have been happening in crowded places of Yangon more than a year after the military coup, said residents of Yangon.
“I have heard of it almost everyday. I have never heard of it before. I have to be very careful because the person who came out in front of the house with a mobile phone was snatched. I am afraid to go out. Especially, they snatched Mobile phones. They forcibly snatched mobile phones and run-away although the owner was holding the phone”, said a woman of Tha Maing who was snatched the mobile phone to Ayeyarwaddy Times.
Although the robbery and banditry cases occurred in desolate places in previous days, now the perpetrators have been robbing the passengers at knife-point on the YBS (Yangon Buses Services) buses.
“They are too daring after the military coup. They have been robbing the passengers at knife-point on the YBS. I don’t know where to report. I only experienced pickpockets in the past. I have heard that taxi drivers themselves have been robbed at knife-point”, a resident of Thingangyun township told Ayeyarwaddy Times.
In addition, banditry to shops continuously occurs in Yangon since the beginning of this year.
“People notice bank robbery cases because those cases were reported in the press. Clothing shops, mobile phone shops have also been robbed. But the owners stay silent because it is useless to report to the police. It is fine, if no people harm. People are not aware because the news did not spread much’’, said a resident of North Okkalapa.
Although Police Forces, under the auspices of the Military junta did not identify and arrest the snatchers, robbers and bandits, they are searching and abducting PDFs (People Defense Force) and UG (Underground).
“It is the impact of job scarcity, commodity prices rising, and granting a pardon to drug kings and criminals after the military coup. I want to say that it is an unwise act used by generations of Military dictators, if people are struggling for livelihood, they will not be interested in political matters. Our country is getting worse by the day due to those reckless actions of the Military Junta,” a journalist analyzed.
Photo: Kayak
