Shenzhen had established 16 special teams with more than 100 policemen to tackle pickpockets on public vehicles, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Monday.

Of more than 400 instances of theft by pickpockets on buses and minibuses, only 10 to 20 percent of the victims go to police, Liu Yi, chief of the public transport branch of the city's public security bureau, was quoted as saying.

Liu said victims should immediately report thefts to help police track down pickpockets.

Police authorities have changed a rule to better tackle the problem. Victims can now dial 110 directly or go to a nearby police office to report losses. Police who receive the report would deal with it immediately, rather than report it to the public transport branch of the public security bureau as in the past. It would save time and improve efficiency, Liu said.

The branch also sent inspection teams to check areas, bus stations and bus lines which are subject to frequent complaints of pickpockets. Police found not doing their jobs effectively would be punished and those with good results would be rewarded, Liu said.

The branch set up its first police office at a bus terminal in the Yinhu (Silver Lake) area to collect information and to train drivers and conductors in protecting passengers from pickpockets. More of these police offices would be set up in the future, Liu said.

 (Shenzhen Daily July 20, 2004)