Friday, December 23, 2011

Better to be Safe Than Sorry

I received the following article in my email and would like to share it with you:

Three Saturdays ago, my brother Wooi Chi, who runs an insurance agency business from the 1st floor of a shop office in SS15 Subang Jaya, was alone in the office browsing through his emails. At about 11 o’clock in the morning, he heard a buzz at the magnetic-controlled door and what looks like a courier man peering through the glass door. Since there was no other staff around, he got up and strode to the door and pressed the button to open the door. Next thing he knew, two Indonesian men burst in and one of them with a parang started chopping him on the head. He fell backwards and as the blood oozes out from his open wounds he lapsed into semi-consciousness. They rifled through his office, took away his I Phone, I Pad, notebook and his wallet. It was all over in about 5 minutes. And the blighters bolted.

With adrenalin pumping through his body he managed to stagger down a flight of stairs, wobbled another 7 shops away and sought help from BP Lab. They administered first- aid and summoned an ambulance from Subang Hospital. Thank God for Good Samaritan at BP Lab and adroitness of the surgeon at the hospital, and after 104 stitches on the head, he survived. The attack was unprovoked, cold-blooded and brutal.

This seems to be the latest technique used by robbers and snatch thieves: To prevent victim from resisting or fight back, they clobber the victim first, just like President Bush’s famous, or rather infamous, “ Shock and Awe “.

The irony of the story is that my brother, who is also a lay pastor, feeds and provides shelter to the homeless, ex-drug addicts, ex-prostitutes (some of them are Indonesians) along Jalan Chow Kit and Tiong Nam in KL.

Over the weekend I googled “ How to avoid being mugged “ and “ Delay and Defence “ and checked with friends in the police force how best to survive in this concrete jungle of ours, where you are a prey and the predators are lurking out there.

There are two main areas I would like to focus on, namely: when you arrive early or work late in the office and when you are walking to and from your car. Here are the 4 Ds tips to survive: Delay, Detection, Deterrence and Defence

When You Are in the Office

Lock the main door or your room door (Delay)

Remember where are all the fire alarm and panic buttons located (Deterrence)

Practice on the fire alarm and panic button (Deterrence)

Look at the CCTV before leaving the office (Detection)

Ask questions before opening the main door (Detection)

Keep an umbrella next to you (Defence)

When You Are Walking To and From your Car

Walk with your colleagues (Deterrence)

Don’t use your mobile phone and be alert with your eyes darting around (Detection)

Don’t walk, but stride to and from your car (Deterrence)

Look around before getting into or out of your car (Detection)

Bring along an umbrella or tennis racquet (Defence)

When you get into the car, the first thing to do is to lock your car (Delay)

Carry a pepper spray in your hand, not in your handbag (Defence)

Bad things happen to good people. You are a soft target. Be Paranoid.


Chee Kong Chi
Consultant
23rd of November 2011