The situation now is so grave that we are constantly reminded and warned to be wary at all times. This is so as not to fall prey to the many criminals and conmen who live amongst us and there is no way of knowing when and how until tragedy strikes; hence0 we live in perpetual fear.

My son and his friends were recently mugged in broad daylight in the busiest of the streets in my neighbourhood. The boys were returning from a futsal outing and while walking back they were approached by two "decently dressed" youngsters in their 20s. Before realization dawned on them, the boys were stripped off their only worldly possessions- their handphones.

The boys were shaken and devastated but we, the mothers, were relieved that the boys were left unharmed, nevertheless, a sense or anger and helplessness crept into me.

Mothers unite

All three of us mothers interrogated the boys inside out and in the end, we knew it was pointless, for the boys were just victims. As one mother rightly pointed out, in their capacity as mere 14-year olds, the boys could not have done anything more. The same mother told her son, " You should not have walked back," and I was cross with my son I didn't know for what. It is typical of mothers to blame the children when something goes wrong.

I then realized that the boys had done nothing wrong. They were just walking home, having failed to hail a cab and I by some misfortune could not pick my son up. I related the story to family members and colleagues as I could not get over it. "For heaven's sake it was in broad daylight," I found myself repeating.

I suggested lodging a police report. Both mothers decided it would do no good and one added, "I don't have the energy to go through this, besides it will only add to the statistics and it will be pointless".

I think she was right. I remember spending at least three hours each time on two other occasions this year lodging police reports.

Early this year I went to lodge a report for a stolen bicycle, I had to write the report in the Damansara Utama police station and to be interviewed by the IO(investigating officer), I had to go the Kelana Jaya police station. Not that I expected anything out of the report but the more recent instance was even more frustrating.

I had a close shave with a road bully and decided to lodge the dispensable police report. As usual I was sent to go to the Kelana Jaya police station and this time I learnt that there was no IO stationed at the Bandar Utama Police Station.

Roundabout

Having traveled to the Kelana Jaya Police Station, I was told that the IO was out on an urgent "mission" and was not available for the face-to-face interview. However, I was told that the IO will be calling me up the next.day. Well, two months have since passed, I am yet to hear from the IO and don't know what happened to the report. Was the road-bully found? Reprimanded? These and many more questions are burning inside me. Three years, on a another occasion, I was nearly assaulted by a road bully and it was the same, no outcome from report lodged.

I have often wondered if as a citizen we have the right to know the status of reports lodged the police station.

Criminals are becoming smarter by the days and those of us who work our butts out to eke a decent living are driven into fear, uncertainly and obscurity.

Strolling and going for walks after nightfall is only an impossible dream in my neighbourhood. We live in constant fear, what with close brushes several times, I would not risk my life for a walk.

When I had very little space in a condominium we used to live in, life was a lot merrier. Now we are prisoners in out our house with grilled and locked doors and windows.

Crime is on the rise, I am sure but the police statistics show a drop, well the answer very well could be unreported cases. Unless it is a matter of life and death, I would not bother making a police report as frankly it does not serve a purpose at all for the complainant. If I am wrong in my assessment, I am happy.

And, I might as well tell you that the Inspector General of Police lives in my neighbourhood, a stone's throw away from my house.

BHAVANI KRISHA IYER is a mother and reader. Readers may send in their essays for the Postcards column, to dina@malaysiakini.com