POLICE precinct commanders who fail to abate the cases of motorcycle theft in their area of responsibility (AOR) should be relieved using the two-strike policy.
This was Cagayan de Oro Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya's spin-off version of the three-strike rule of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office to curtail the worsening cases of motorcycle theft in the city.
The councilor took the cue from newly-installed City Police Director Benedicto Lopez, who proposed to Nacaya's committee on police, fire and public safety the system under which station commanders would get the boot if there are at least three successive theft incidents in their AOR within a month.
"A two-strike policy is more like it. This will mean greater responsibility for the concerned area commander to perform beyond expectation," Nacaya said.
Superintendent Lopez said he will take this into consideration, assuring the committee that additional steps will be taken to address carnapping and motorcycle theft in the city.
Motorycle theft has become common in Cagayan de Oro City partly because under-bone type motorbikes have become the staple on the road for students and professionals alike.
Last week, Nacaya's committee gathered key officials from the police, the Land Transportation Office, the Traffic Management Group and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to discuss ways to curb the problem.
The website www.motorcyclephilippines.com has these following tips to prevent motorcycle theft:
* Lead Them Not Into Temptation. The less your bike is seen, the less likely a thief will cozy up to it. If you don't have a garage, keep it covered.
* Steer Clear. Although readily defeated, your bike's steering lock can be a first-step defense and will discourage easy maneuvering of the bike. It is even more useful if your ignition and steering locks are separate, so the thief needs to defeat two locks to escape with your scooter.
* Keep It Up. Whatever lock you use, don't rest it on the ground, where the thief is more likely to be able to get enough leverage to break it. If you attach to lock up away from the ground, the thief probably won't that extra leverage to pry the lock.
* Lock It Down. A disc lock might inconvenience joyriders, but determined thieves can simply hoist such a bike into a waiting truck. If you add a cable to it and anchor that to something solid, you have a more formidable.
* The Power Of Two. It's best to use two or more locks of different types in addition to your bike's built-in lock(s). Unless a thief has surveyed your bike, he probably won't be prepared to tackle different kinds of locks.
* Shine A Light. If you park outside, choose a well-lit, conspicuous area.
* Make Some Noise. Alarms may seem like a good way to attract attention to the fact that someone is attempting to purloin your bike, but in most places we have gotten so used to false alarms that people don't investigate or even bother to look. (ALR)