Supermarket chain robbed 671 times in five years

Contrary to the claim by police that the country's crime rate has gone down, a 24-hour convenience store chain says ts branches nationwide have been robbed and goods stolen 671 times in the past five years, incurring it a total loss of over RM1 million.

KK Supermart Holdings Sdn Bhd, which owns the 127 KK convenience stores in the peninsula, called a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to reveal the shocking statistics.

All major Chinese newspapers today quoted KK Supermart general manager Hooi Weng Kheong as saying that on the average, there were 134 cases every year and 11 cases every month since 2008, resulting in total losses of RM1,076,000.

Half of the crime cases were robbery, he said, and the number of cases had increased commensurately with the expansion of branches.

The number of crimes has significantly increased by 200 percent in 2012, from 144 cases in 2011 to 431 cases as of Dec 18 this year, Hooi revealed.

Out of these cases, the police only managed to arrest the perpetrators in 30 cases, he said.

The 'hot spots' identified by the company include Wangsa Maju, Jalan Ipoh, Bandar Tun Razak, Puchong and Serdang.

Branches in the Serdang area topped the list, having been robbed more than 20 times in the past two months, while branches in Bandar Tun Razak and Setapak have also been robbed 15 times respectively this year alone.

According to Hooi, 20 of his staff members were hurt in the past five years, and two of them were hospitalised as a result of severe injuries.

The company has since sought the assistance of police, who have deployed their personnel to act as store employees in an effort to nab the criminals.

This step has proven effective, with the undercover policemen thwarting a robbery at a KK branch in Setapak on Monday. One of the two robbers was shot dead during the robbery.

KK Supermart has also set up its own security team to patrol the branches, Hooi added.

Source: Yahoo! News.

SAFETY ALERT: Another Woman Attacked in Car Park

[The Star Online, Friday July 6, 2012] KUALA LUMPUR: Another woman has been brutally attacked in broad daylight at a car park near a hypermarket here.

Nooralida M. Noor was getting into her car at a shopping centre at around 2.50pm on Tuesday when a man forcibly entered her car and slashed her left arm and neck.

Although she fought back and tried shouting, the man pinned her down and warned her “not to be stupid”, she said in her Facebook account.

The commotion attracted the attentions of another woman and her son. The attacker then panicked and fled.

Nooralida drove to a police station before seeking treatment at the Gleneagles Hospital. Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Amiruddin Jamaluddin has asked witnesses to call the Selangor police hotline at 03-2052 9999.

Disposing of Household Nasties - Safely

Wondering what to do with all those chemical nasties lurking in your cupboards? Here's how to dispose of them safely.

Next time you have a big clean-up, stop and consider what happens to all those old medicines, pesticides, pool chemicals, cleaners, paint thinners and batteries after you've thrown them in the bin or down the sink, or hosed them down the gutter.

Some chemicals become more dangerous when mixed with other chemicals, food scraps or even just water. Some things are hazardous because they contain heavy metals and other poisons that contaminate soil and pollute waterways.

Flammable chemicals and sharp objects pose a serious risk to others -- such as waste collectors and handlers, children and curious animals -- when they're sitting in your garbage bin and going into the garbage truck.

Clearly you don't want all these nasties sitting around your house either, endangering the health and safety of you and your family. So what do you do with them?

The following are some health and environmental hazards associated with products commonly found in the home, and options for their safe disposal.

Paint and related products

Paints, thinners, varnish, wood stain, solvents, methylated spirits, turps, glues and fillers.

The problems:

• They can be highly flammable.
• They can give off toxic fumes when they evaporate or burn.
• They can be toxic to plant, animal and aquatic life, as well as people.
• Aerosol cans are potentially explosive if heated or punctured.
• Oil-based paints contain flammable solvents, and brushes have to be cleaned with turps, another disposal problem.

The solutions:

• Use water-based paints rather than oil-based whenever possible.
• Calculate the area to be painted, and buy the smallest tin of paint that will meet your needs.
• Never pour these products down the sink or an outside drain.
• Use up the products, or give them to friends or neighbours who can use them. There may be a paint collection centre near you for community projects.
• Old paint that has hardened can be thrown out with your normal garbage. Leave the lid off the tin if there isn't much left (preferably outside, so the fumes don't cause harm), or pour it over newspaper, let it dry, then throw it away.
• If none of these options is practical, phone your local council for advice.

Read more...

Secure Your Home - Don't Make Burglars Feel Welcome

• Secure your home with strong grilles and locks;
• Keep valuables and large sums of cash in a safe or at the bank;
• Suspend all home deliveries whenever you are away;
• Inform your neighbour to help looking after your home when you are away (you can offer the same when your neighbour is away);
• Inform the MBJ security team to pay particular attention during their patrol; and
• Make sure you activate your security alarm.

Reference: NCPC, Rukun Tetangga

Phone Lottery Scam

To prevent being a victim of "lottery phone scam":

• Call police immediately to report the case
• Do not make any advance payment to claim any price money. Winning a lucky draw or lottery does not require you to make any advance payment
• Ignore such notifications especially when you did not purchase any ticket or participate in any such draws.

Source: NCPC

Kidnap Scam

"I have your son! Pay me RM30,000 or you will never see him again..."

Generally, the victim will receive a call that his/her loved one has been kidnapped, with cries for help in the background. The victim would then be asked to remit money to an overseas account via a remittance agency or to pay a ransom at certain location. 

In response to the call, you should stay calm and get a much details as possible from the caller. After that call, remain calm and contact your loved one to confirm his or her safety. Call 999 or the nearby police station immediately when receive such calls. DO NOT remit any money or surrender the ransom to the caller!

Candle Safety

Candles may be pretty to look at but they are a cause of home fires — and home fire deaths. Remember, a candle is an open flame, which means that it can easily ignite anything that can burn.

Candle with care

• Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.
• Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn.

If you Do buRN CANDLEs, make sure that you...

• Use candle holders that are sturdy, and won’t tip over easily.
• Put candle holders on a sturdy, uncluttered surface.
• Light candles carefully. Keep your hair and any loose clothing away from the flame.
• Don’t burn a candle all the way down — put it out before it gets too close to the holder or container.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.
• Have flashlights and battery-powered lighting ready to use during a power outage. Never use candles.

Caution! Never leave a child alone in a room with a burning candle. Keep matches and lighters up high and out ofchildren’s reach, in a locked cabinet.

# More than one-third of home candle fires started in the bedroom.

# More than half of all candle fires start when things that can burn are too close to the candle.

Source: NFPA

Scald Prevention

A scald injury can happen at any age. Children, older adults and people with disabilities are especially at risk. Hot liquids from bath water, hot coffee and even microwaved soup can cause devastating injuries. Scald burns are the second leading cause of all burn injuries.

Scald safety

• Teach children that hot things can burn. Install anti-scald devices on tub faucets and shower heads.
• Always supervise a child in or near a bathtub.
• Test the water at the faucet. It should be less than 38°C.
• Before placing a child in the bath or getting in the bath yourself, test the water.
• Test the water by moving your hand, wrist and forearm through the water. The water should feel warm, not hot, to the touch.
• Place hot liquids and food in the center of a table or toward the back of a counter. 
• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Open microwaved food slowly, away from the face.
• Never hold a child while you are cooking, drinking a hot liquid, or carrying hot foods or liquids.
• Never heat a baby bottle in a microwave oven. Heat baby bottles in warm water from the faucet.
• Allow microwaved food to cool before eating.
• Choose pre-packaged soups whose containers have a wide base or, to avoid the possibility of a spill, pour the soup into a traditional bowl after heating.

First Aids!

Treat a burn right away. Cool the burn with cool water for 3–5 minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Get medical help if needed.

# Pre-packaged microwavable soups are a frequent cause of scald burn injuries (especially noodle soups) because they can easily tip over, pouring hot liquid (and noodles) on the person.


Source: NFPA

Smoking and Home Fire Safety

The place where we feel safest — at home — is where most smoking-materials structure fires, deaths, and injuries occur. Smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths. Smoking material fires are preventable.

Smoking safety

• If you smoke, use only fire-safe cigarettes.
• If you smoke, smoke outside. Most deaths result from fires that started in living rooms, family rooms and dens or in bedrooms.
• Keep cigarettes, lighters, matches, and other smoking materials up high out of the reach of children, in a locked cabinet.

Put it out!

• Use a deep, sturdy ashtray. Place it away from anything that can burn.
• Do not discard cigarettes in vegetation such as mulch, potted plants or landscaping, peat moss, dried grasses, leaves or other things that could ignite easily.
• Before you throw away butts and ashes, make sure they are out, and dousing in water or sand is the best way to do that.

Smoking and medical oxygen

Never smoke and never allow anyone to smoke where medical oxygen is used. Medical oxygen can cause materials to ignite more easily and make fires burn at a faster rate than normal. It can make an existing fire burn faster and hotter.

Smoking alert!

• To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, you must be alert. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs that make you drowsy or have consumed alcohol.
• Never smoke in bed.

# The risk of dying in a home structure fire caused by smoking materials rises with age.

# One out of four fatal victims of smoking-material fires is not the smoker whose cigarette started the fire.

Source: NFPA

Cooking Safety

Cooking brings family and friends together, provides an outlet for creativity and can be relaxing. But did you know that cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries? By following a few safety tips you can prevent these fires.

Cooking with cautions

• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don’t use the stove or stovetop.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire...

• Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
• Call 994 or the local emergency number after you leave.
• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
• Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

# Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 1 meter around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

# The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

# Most cooking fires in the home involve the stovetop.

Source: NFPA

Clothes Dyer Safety

Doing laundry is most likely part of your every day routine. But did you know how important taking care of your clothes dryer is to the safety of your home? With a few simple safety tips you can help prevent a clothes dryer fire.

• Have your dryer installed and serviced by a professional.
• Do not use the dryer without a lint filter. 
• Make sure you clean the lint filter before or after each load of laundry. Remove lint that has collected around the drum.
• Rigid or flexible metal venting material should be used to sustain proper air flow and drying time.
• Make sure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap will open when the dryer is operating. Once a year, or more often if you notice that it is taking longer than normal for your clothes to dry, clean lint out of the vent pipe or have a dryer lint removal service do it for you.
• Keep dryers in good working order. Gas dryers should be inspected by a professional to make sure that the gas line and connection are intact and free of leaks.
• Make sure the right plug and outlet are used and that the machine is connected properly.
• Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions and don’t overload your dryer.
• Turn the dryer off if you leave home or when you go to bed.

And Don't Forget...

• Dryers should be properly grounded.
• Check the outdoor vent flap to make sure it is not covered by snow.
• Keep the area around your dryer clear of things that can burn, like boxes, cleaning supplies and clothing, etc. 
• Clothes that have come in contact with flammable substances, like gasoline, paint thinner, or similar
• solvents should be laid outside to dry, then can be washed and dried as usual.

# The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them.

Source: NFPA

Electrical Safety

Flipping a light switch. Plugging in a coffeemaker. Charging a laptop computer. These are second nature for most of us. Electricity makes our lives easier. However, we need to be cautious and keep safety in mind.

Safety Tips:

• Have all electrical work done by a qualified electrician. 
• When you are buying or remodeling a home, have it inspected by a qualified electrician.
• Only plug one heat-producing appliance (such as a coffee maker, toaster, space heater, etc.) into a receptacle outlet at a time. 
• Major appliances (refrigerators, dryers, washers, stoves, air conditioners, etc.) should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Extension cords and plug strips should not be used.
• Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) are a kind of circuit breaker that shuts off electricity when a dangerous condition occurs. Consider having them installed in your home. Use a qualified electrician. 
• Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to reduce the risk of shock. GFCIs shut off an electrical circuit when it becomes a shock hazard. They should be installed inside the home in bathrooms, kitchens, garages and basements. All outdoor receptacles should be GFCI protected.
• Test AFCIs and GFCIs once a month to make sure they are working properly. 
• Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets. Extension cords are intended for temporary use. Have a qualified electrician add more receptacle outlets so you don’t have to use extension cords.
• Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage on the lamp or fixture. There should be a sticker that indicates the maximum wattage light bulb to use.

Important Reminder

Call a qualified electrician if you have:

• Frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers
• A tingling feeling when you touch an electrical appliance
• Discolored or warm wall outlets
• A burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance
• Flickering or dimming lights
• Sparks from an outlet

Source: NFPA

Microwave Oven Safety

With busy lives, families rely on the microwave oven as a quick way  to heat up a meal, warm up a drink or defrost dinner. While the convenience of the microwave oven is something we take for granted, safety should not be. By following a few simple safety tips you can prevent painful burns and possible fires.

Safety Tips:

• PURCHASE a microwave oven that has the label of an independent testing laboratory. Make sure to 
• complete and return the product registration card. This way the manufacturer can reach you if there is a recall on the product.
• PLUG the microwave oven directly into the wall outlet — never use an extension cord.
• MAKE sure the microwave oven is at a safe height, within easy reach of all users.
• OPEN food slowly, away from the face. Hot steam or the food itself can cause burns.
• FOOD heats unevenly in microwave ovens. Stir and test before eating or giving to children.
• NEVER heat a baby bottle in the microwave. Since a microwave oven heats unevenly, it can create hot pockets, leading to burns. Warm a bottle in a bowl of warm — not hot or boiling — water, or by running it under the tap

Microwave Use:

• Always supervise children when they are using a microwave oven.
• Use only microwave-safe food containers or dishes. Never use aluminum foil or metal in a microwave oven.
• If you have a fire in the microwave, leave the door closed, turn the oven off and unplug it from the wall. If the fire does not go out, get outside and call the fire department.

# Scald burns are the leading cause of injury from microwave ovens.

Source: NFPA

Car Driver Shall Beware of A New Robbery Tactic!

Recently, the following post has been shared in Facebook about a new robbery tactic that may soon become rampant, especially in Klang Valley:

This was confirmed by the a Shell's staff at TTDI, happened at Petaling Jaya Seksyen 17 junction!

NEW TACTIC to rob you in PJ and soon all places: spray liquid on your tyre which leads to smoke outburst.

PLEASE SHARE TO SAVE EVERYONE'S LIFE.

Just received this from a local police force in Bangsar. There's a new tactic used by thieves and robbers & spreading into PJ and other KL areas. Be careful when there's a motorist approaching while you're driving alone in a car. These days, the thieves will spray liquid on your tyre which leads to smoke outburst.

When you encountered such situation, DON'T PANIC! Stay calm & DON'T EVER try to park your car to check what's going on. This intention created by them purposely to get your attention. Once you get out from your car, they'll snatch your belongings or your car or may even harm you.

So, if you ever encounter such an incident, drive to a safe place where crowded people are, or to a petrol station, or police station. As for the stain, use water to clean it up, that’s all. Look after your own safety, especially to the ladies out there. Whatever happens, DON'T simply walk out from your car! This is a true case that has occurred recently.

Once you see this post, don’t forget to share it to all your friends & family.

*The photo is not direct-related to the content, initial purpose of the post is to convey message for public awareness. **Racist comments will be removed. (sorry guys, free speech but not racial insult)

Source: LINK