Why is theft on the rise and what can be done to stop it?   

Almost every day posts on social media posts describe robberies that have occurred on the street and at people’s houses, with motorbikes often being the target of thieves. These days, many people feel unsafe no matter where they are. Vientiane Times asked local residents for their thoughts on this disturbing trend.

These CCTV images show thieves stealing bikes and other property.

Ms Vanpheng Inthaxay, a reporter with the Paxaxon newspaper: My two motorbikes were stolen last month and I still haven’t got them back. The night they were stolen I had parked them at my house as usual and locked them. The gate to my house was also locked but thieves cut through everything. We were all at home but we didn’t hear anything. Thieves have become professional in their methods and don’t seem to be afraid of anything. We went to the police to ask for their help but they haven’t been able to recover the bikes. Now I’m afraid that thieves will come again, especially at night. I worry that if our children are at home alone they might not only steal things but also hurt the children. 

Mr Alee Keomany, a businessman in Sisattanak district: I’m very concerned about thieves these days as I hear a lot of reports about thefts. I don’t know where it’s safe to keep valuables. I have a safe in my house but if thieves carry a weapon they will force us to open it. My wife is pregnant which makes me even more worried because we get home quite late at night. I don’t want my wife to be at home by herself. I urge the authorities, especially the police, to get tough about this problem because it seems that theft is getting more and more common.

Mr Mangkorn, a resident of Vientiane: The first question to ask is what are the police doing about this? The number of thieves seems to have increased. Every day I read posts about people having things stolen, and some people have been killed during the course of a robbery. Some thieves carry guns and I feel that safety is really becoming an issue in Laos. I can tell you why the number of thieves has increased. Firstly, it’s because they aren’t afraid of the police and very few thieves are arrested. Secondly, it’s because of the high cost of living, rampant unemployment, and the low wages earned by most people. The cost of a motorbike is higher than what some people can earn in a whole year. If the government can’t resolve the cost-of-living crisis and increase wages, then we will have more and more problems.
 
Ms Khamlar, a business owner in Nonghai village: I close my shop early every day and I don’t answer the door at night even if I know who it is, because I’m afraid. I’ve got CCTV at my shop but I don’t believe it will help that much because I’ve read many posts on Facebook where people say they have video footage of thieves but the police still aren’t able to help. It’s up to us to protect ourselves and our property as best we can. I don’t think that what I’ve done to deter thieves is really enough, because there are so many around these days. I think there should be more police on duty at night to be on the lookout for thieves or to help people in the event of an emergency.

By Patithin Phetmeuangphuan
(Latest Update October 12, 2022)