Snatch thieves have become so common today. The problem should be dealt with more seriously as victims have been crippled and even fatally injured as happened in the most recent case on Sunday.

After yesterday's report about the Indonesian victim who succumbed to her injuries, I felt it necessary to write about the experience of my daughter who had her bag snatched while walking along Lorong Maarof just outside the Bangsar shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur.

Even before this incidence, she has had a near miss with two guys on a motorbike. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to pretend to ring the door bell of the nearest house. Even as they rode past, the pillion rider kept watching her.

Just two weeks ago, she was reminded to be on the alert. Yet on that day, while she noticed a motorbike riding away on one side, another suddenly came out of nowhere to snatch her bag which contained her money and documents. Even her costume necklace was snatched, which injured her neck.

Besides snatch thieves, there are also kerb crawlers in Bangsar. She was once stalked by one such driver who was also seen after the snatch incident.

Yet when she complained to the police, he retorted, "Apa kami boleh buat, dia tengok sahaja" (What can we do, he was just looking). Shouldn't the police investigate to see if there was any link?

Given the lackadaisical attitude of the police, is it any wonder that snatch thief robberies have festered in our cities and towns?

There should be more public awareness on this crime and hopefully, the police will be pressured into taking more pro-active steps to curb this social menace.