• Public living under fear of increasing robberies note that both robbers and their victims are suffering from dire economic-social circumstances

BY Sumudu Chamara The impacts of the economic crisis are diverse. It is becoming apparent that they are not confined to mere monetary aspects of the economy and society, but that they can affect the general public in a multitude of ways. The fact that most of these by-products of the economic crisis start to be more visible only when they worsen, is concerning.   The impacts of the economic hardships have driven some people to engage in various forms of illegal acts, one of the main ones being robberies, which many including criminology experts claim are on the rise due to the economic crisis. The Morning recently reported that in the first few months of this year, when the economic crisis was not as intense as it is now, around 948 robberies and 2,224 house break-ins were reported. This is in a context where only 2,263 robberies and 6,813 house break-ins were reported over the entirety of last year. With the economic crisis worsening, there is a possibility that this situation may further worsen, and the general public sees this as an understandable but alarming situation.   Victims of circumstances   Every person that The Morning spoke to acknowledged that the factors that have led to the prevailing wave of robberies are mostly economic. Some of them noted that in a context where fulfilling even the most basic needs has become challenging, people resorting to robbery should be viewed as not just a crime or a social issue, but also as part of the economic crisis. “Putting robbers in jail is the least that the Police can do for us. However, ending the wave of robberies will take bigger efforts than that, because when we put 10 robbers in jail, 100 more people affected by the economic crisis will take the decision to steal something so that they can make ends meet,” said 33-year-old private sector worker U. Udana Perera, adding that different people steal at different levels, even though some are never exposed or punished. He added that his neighborhood in Ratmalana too has recorded a number of robberies thus far this year, which he said shows an unprecedented increase for a mostly closed and affluent neighbourhood.  “This is a major issue. Different segments of society respond to these economic issues in a different manner. Some decide to steal, and the impacts of their decision to steal are suffered by those who have earned or saved something for themselves because those who decide to steal think that it is alright to steal from those who have. It is not fair,” he said, regarding the situation in his neighbourhood. Meanwhile, a 52-year-old victim of a robbery that took place early this month in Nugegoda, who refused to be named (referred to as R. Amarabandu) because he feared reprisal from the robber/robbers, also shared a similar opinion about the people’s tendency to steal. “I do not think that we are seeing the bigger picture here, although it is obvious. People steal because they do not have enough resources to survive the economic crisis, or lack the hope that they can obtain those resources in a lawful manner. These are ordinary people who steal a gold necklace, a few thousands of rupees, electrical equipment, or something like a mobile phone, which are enough to just get by, not large-scale thieves who steal millions and billions of rupees. These are people who are on the brink of bankruptcy. Unlike many of us who faced the same economic burdens but managed with the available resources, they succumbed to their economic hardships and decided to steal.” Adding that while taking legal action against robbers is necessary, as being poor is not a licence to steal, Amarabandu opined that it is crucial that the society understands that imprisoning a thief does not eradicate the factors that create thieves. He further said that as long as the economic crisis keeps making people poorer and more desperate, the country would not be able to see the end of this new wave of robberies. “I was robbed early this month, and I condemn what the robbers did. But, under desperate circumstances, any of us can be a thief. Who knows, when I run out of my savings and lose my source of income, I might even choose to become a thief myself,” he observed. However, some believe that in order to keep society in order, it is necessary to take legal action against those who break the law. Kalan Yasith, a 27-year-old student of a private education institute, said that justifying small-time offences due to the reasons that led to them is tantamount to condoning illegal acts of any scale. “I understand that people are desperate. I take care of my own expenses with just freelance work, and therefore, I know how difficult it has become to manage the monthly expenses. I am in debt. But that does not mean that I can just steal what someone else has earned.” Yasith emphasised that while it is acceptable to discuss and acknowledge the dire situations that have pushed people to steal and that a sensible society should do that before criticising people, even robbers, it should not be a process of justifying theft. “It is alright to empathise with people who were forced to steal due to dire economic situations. We should identify these social issues, and find a way to address or minimise the impacts of these issues. But it is not alright to condone theft citing those issues. Condoning theft on such grounds is tantamount to telling the society that stealing is acceptable as long as the reasons for stealing are justifiable. Under no reason is it acceptable to steal, and taking legal action against any person who commits a theft is necessary. It is another story if the legal system decides to give them a reduced or nominal sentence or a measly fine.” He opined that at the end of the day, both robbers and victims of robberies are victims of circumstance.   Living in fear   The Morning also discussed how increasing robberies have affected the people’s sense of safety, regarding which people said that they are now more careful about their belongings than before. Some of their experiences also point towards the fact that robbers may in many cases be someone known to the victim. In this regard, Amarabandu said: “Despite how I feel about why more people rob now more than before, I think that this is a massive threat to the people who have earned and saved something for themselves, which is extremely important in the current economic conditions. When my house was robbed, I learnt a lesson, and that is how clueless my family and I can be. We have reasons, including the manner in which the robber had broken into the house, to believe that the perpetrator is a resident of the area, and is someone that knows us.  “Due to that reason, we have started becoming extremely careful about how we deal with what happened to us, because, if the robber is in fact someone we know, we may still be at some degree of risk of further thefts of reprisal. Now, we do not leave the house as often as before. There is always someone in the house. We do not keep more than around Rs. 10,000 in the house. As soon as we receive money, we deposit it in the bank, and do not bring money home. We have also repaired some of our old windows and doors. We are also planning to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras as many houses in my neighbourhood have done.” Another victim of such an incident residing in Piliyandala, who also refused to be named (referred to as A. Sandamali), explained how a robbery that had occurred in her brother’s house in the same neighbourhood as hers compelled her to take certain security measures. She explained: “The Police found who the robber was, and it was a person residing in the same area who is known to be a drug user. According to what I heard, he had said that his usual income is not sufficient to fund his drug use and his family’s expenses anymore, and hence, he had robbed a house. I think that this is the story of a lot of these new robbers. Due to the economic crisis, people’s expenses far outweigh their income, which compels them to seek an additional source of income. Anyone can become a robber, and it is therefore crucial to be vigilant about each and every person, even if that person is a family member.” Sandamali added that she adopted a dog to guard her house at night and that she stopped keeping valuables in drawers and in cupboards when residents are not at home, and instead hid them in safer places in the house, as well as completing the construction of the outer wall around her house, as a part of it had not been built for years. Meanwhile, 48-year-old businessman A.R.A. Ranasinghe raised concerns about valuables such as jewellery, mobile phones, and money that people carry. He was of the opinion that people should be vigilant about not only what they leave in their houses, but also what they carry when travelling. “Chain-snatchers are everywhere. I myself have witnessed two such incidents in this year alone, and one incident several years ago. It is, most of the time, young boys who engage in these kinds of crimes. Many of them are professional thieves. It is risky and requires more skill. I think that people who steal merely because of hunger are less likely to engage in chain-snatching or pick-pocketing. However, times have changed, and nowadays, people can be desperate enough to steal from anyone in any manner.” In this context, he said, it is crucial that people be vigilant about carrying valuable goods such as jewellery and money. He explained: “I think that people should stop wearing gold jewellery for some time. If they really want to wear jewellery, they can wear inexpensive or fake jewellery. Nowadays, there are many types of non-gold fancy jewelleries which are so attractive that people do not question why you are not wearing gold. At the same time, people should stop carrying large amounts of money, and instead, use credit and debit cards, which all banks provide and a lot of stores accept. If you lose money, you cannot locate it. But, if you lose your card, it can be deactivated within minutes.” What is more, he said that people should start using all possible security features that mobile phones provide. “If you have a smartphone, use it to the fullest. It can be used to track your bank accounts, monitor CCTV footage, and card payments. In addition, people should activate all security features that these phones provide. Those features can help locate your phone in case it is stolen or is lost. Now that the importation of mobile phones has been suspended and mobile phone prices are going to further increase, robbers will most likely start stealing more mobile phones than they did before.” While dire economic situations have the ability to compel people to seek alternative or additional sources of income, which, in the current context, many allege is a reason for robberies, this is a matter that requires a balanced approach between addressing robberies and addressing the reasons for robberies. As some who spoke with The Morning highlighted, both legal action against robberies and eradicating the factors leading to robberies are crucial. The failure to do so would create more robbers and victims of robbers, and robberies will become an additional burden on the society and on the legal and prisons systems.