Crime Prevention Bureau warns summer job seekers to beware of scams | |
 Superintendent Simon Roberts (centre) with his senior officers at CPB Headquarters in TST East  CPB alarm systems expert Station Sergeant Alfred Lau (left) examines the complicated circuitry of a burglar alarm with officers of the intruder Alarm Inspection Unit |
THE Hong Kong Police Crime Prevention
Bureau (CPB) recently joined forces with the Labour Department and the Consumer council
to advise young job seekers and students on summer break how to avoid falling victim to
swindlers, unscrupulous employers,dubious companies and get-rich-quick enterprises geared
more to ripping them off than to paying them wages.
Speaking at a press conference, CPB acting Chief Inspector Henry Chiang Kwok-wah decried those scams touted by less than ethical "modelling agencies", "trading" or "investment" companies that prey on young job seekers by convincing them to join training classes and pay money up front, or to buy certain products as a condition for employment. "Over 70 complaints against 'modelling' agencies have been received so far this year," said CIP Chiang, adding that young people approached by the staff of such companies should never attend interviews alone, nor follow strangers into suspicious-looking places. "They can also avoid deception by never giving dubious would-be employers their bank or identity cards or personal cheques. Nor should students take dangerous jobs like operating heavy machinery, handling hot/corrosive substances ,or working at great heights." Moreover, CIP Chiang advised job seekers to be alert to such "traps" as being encouraged to invest in the local gold or futures market to earn quick money. |
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"If it sounds too good to be true-it usually is ,"added CPB Detective senior Inspector Mark Quinnell. Although the Crime Prevention Bureau provides this type of advice annually, it's only a small part of what the Bureau does. "We provide a service not only to the public and Hong Kong's large security industry-but to the Force," explains Simon Roberts, Superintendent in charge of the Crime Prevention Bureau, which is part of Crime Wing, and consists of 45 CPB officers split into four main sections: Operations, Security Companies Inspection Unit, Special Projects, and Administration and Support. In addition, each police region has its own Regional Crime Prevention Offices (RCPOs) staffed by more than 90 officers Force-wide. The Crime Prevention Bureau together with the RCPOs make up the Force Crime Prevention Capability (FCPC).In 1997,the FCPC conducted over 33,900 security surveys across the territory. "The regional offices play a major role in basic crime prevention and security advice for small commercial and residential premises, but the Crime Prevention Bureau assists in more specialised areas and offers a higher degree of technical support and specific security advice," said SP Roberts. CPB's Operations Unit produces and deals with security surveys of a complex nature for premises such as China Light and Power stations ,the High Court, former Government House, the residential premises of Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Central Government Offices, the new Police Headquarters, consular buildings, etc. | |
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CPB's Security Companies Inspection Unit deals with legislation brought in to regulate and license the security industry. There are over 700security companies in Hong Kong and when a new one requests a licecse, CPB staff inspect and assess its premises, management, training, facilities and competence to comply with the legislation, then make recommendations whether to issue the license. Special Projects has three sub-units. Members of the Intruder Alarm Inspection Unit, on 24-hour call, attend the scene of an alarm bypass where a break-in has been recorded and property stolen from residential and commercial premises like banks, gold and jewellery shops - offering their expertise to the police officer in charge of the investigation. |
 A CPB officer carries out a security system survey at a Wanchai office building |
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Says alarm systems expert Station Sergeant Alfred Lau, a 9-year veteran at CPB: "The officer in charge of the investigation may know little about advanced ,highly specialised alarm systems .We assist by determining how it was by-passed as the m.o. of the burglars can provide much insight into the crime." In addition, CPB's Intruder Alarm Inspection Unit maintains a Burglar Alarm Response Data System (BARDS),a computer database in which details of every single alarmed premises in the HKSAR in registered - about 24,000.In 1997 there were over 20,000data items input into teat computer system. "Be it faulty wiring, human error, or bad weather, about 99per cent of all activated alarms(and this is universally true in major cities worldwide)are false," says Senior Inspector Steven Jones." Responding to false alarms wastes police manpower. BARDS identifies premises that are prone to be false alarms based on past false alarms. We are taking positive steps to monitor and educate both the end user and the industry about the reasons for false alarms and to encourage them to upgrade the service and the product." CPB's Computer Security Unit provides information and advice (through booklets and lectures) to both industry and public on all aspects of computer security. The unit also provides a computer security service for small businesses. Its booth at the recent International Computer'98 Expo in the HKC&EC was very well-received. | |
 Acting CIP Chiang and SIP Quinnell with Consumer Council and Labour Department reps dispensing advice to young summer job seekers |
"The security industry is very technologically minded with an enormous quantity of newly developed products," points out SP Roberts, "All information we receive on available security products and companies currently operation in the territory is compiled onto a database by our Research and Analysis Section. When people contact CPB for advice on burglar alarms, or infra-red protection systems, or locks-anything to do with security paraphernalia-we can provide a complete and impartial list of available products." In addition, the permanent Display Room at CPB Headquarters allows sophisticated security systems such as CCTY and burglar alarm systems, supermarket and shop security tagging systems ,iris identification and fingerprint identification systems to be demonstrated in a "real" environment. |
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The Administration and Support Section organises CPB's public displays that advance security awareness with the main draws being Robotcop and the CPB Bus. Robotcop is very popular and is used to promote crime prevention all over the SAR, primarily for school children. In 1997 Robotcop did 149shows. The Crime Prevention Bus-which invites the public to come on board to experience exhibits of the latest security devices and crime prevention information wherever it parks-did a further 141 displays. "CPB has formulated our own vision(coinciding with the Force Vision)to porvide the best crime prevention service in the world -and I believe we are accomplishing that," says SP Roberts, "A major priority for the Force Crime Prevention Capability is to serve the Force Through security advice, lectures, seminars and any other specialist assistance to officers in the field or during training days ,as will as to the government, banks, hospitals, schools and other private sector areas who want to educate their staff about the importance of crime prevention." | |
