Commenting on the recent spike in such cases in shopping complexes, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the victims should forego their belongings to avoid getting injured.
"Although snatch thefts are not considered serious crimes, they can be considered as traumatic crimes as the victim undergoes a traumatic experience."If the victim fought back, he said it was likely to end badly and could cause injuries.
"It is better to lose your identity cards and cash rather than losing your life," he said at a press conference after chairing NIOSH's 19th annual meeting.
Last Friday, technical executive Noorhusna Aisyah Abdul Malek, 24, was slashed on the head, stabbed in the chest and kicked by a snatch thief at the car park of Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur.
The man, who had demanded her wallet and mobile phone, attacked her when she put up a fight and screamed despite being warned against it.
Lee also said anyone in such situations had to make a "spur-of the-moment" decision whether to fight, flee or give up but it determined the outcome.
In order to reduce the number of snatch thefts, he said there needed to be a concerted effort which included the police beefing up security, especially in snatch theft-prone areas.
Source : New Straits Times
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