Southern Rural Newspaper (Reporter Li Xiulin) - "A relative living in the county was robbed, this is the second time she has been victimized by robbers during broad daylight in three years." On May 19th, in Xucheng County's Beixiang Township of Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province, Xu Sheng reclined on a hammock, smoking leisurely as he recounted to a Southern Rural Newspaper reporter, "It sounds incredible to outsiders, but reality is just like that - during the day, groups of three to five robbers ride motorcycles and openly wield knives and guns to commit robberies in bustling markets filled with people; at night, they become even more brazen, holding a knife to a passerby's neck to snatch their belongings."
In January 2011, the Xucheng County Public Security Bureau dismantled an armed robbery gang, arresting seven members and recovering six stolen motorcycles. In April, the Xucheng County People's Court publicly sentenced members of another armed robbery gang. The ringleaders Lin Moujun, He Mousong, Pan Mouyou, Lin Moubin, and others were sentenced to terms ranging from 10 to 18 years in prison. The court found that between January 11 and March 5, 2010, within less than two months, Lin Moujun and his accomplices committed eight nighttime robberies using hunting rifles, electric batons, and controlled knives, robbing 35 people, stealing 10,500 yuan in cash, three motorcycles, and 27 mobile phones. Victims included villagers, security guards, and wholesale market employees.
Robbery under the midday sun
At around 1:00 AM on April 26, 2011, a woman returning home after finishing her shift at a bar in Xucheng County was stopped by two men who stole her only 20 yuan. After injuring her face with the stock of a hunting rifle, the robbers fled on a motorcycle. The robbed woman encountered two patrolling traffic police officers who then pursued the robbers along National Highway 207. Five minutes later, near the Xinglaiwan Resort, they spotted the two robbers. The robbers attempted to flee towards Macheng Village in Hai'an Town. At a turning point in Macheng Village, the two panicked and fell off their motorcycle. They then fled into nearby woods, leaving behind a motorcycle, a homemade hunting rifle, and a machete.
On March 29, a local internet user posted on Tianya Forum: "If anyone can travel from the county through Hai'an New Road to Xinglaiwan Resort after 10:30 PM without being robbed, I'll reward them 100 yuan per trip." Local villagers told the Southern Rural Newspaper reporter that the location where the woman was robbed on April 26 was on the route mentioned by the internet user.
For robbers, darkness provides the best cover. Although most high-frequency crime occurs at night, it is not necessarily safe during broad daylight either.
At 11:58 AM on March 27, Ms. Yang, a resident of Xucheng County, was shopping when she reached the eastern entrance of the Postal and Telecommunications Neighborhood. Suddenly, a motorcyclist approached. The man sitting at the back jumped off, revealing a cleaver hidden in his clothes, and shouted loudly: "Drop your bag!" Ms. Yang hastily threw her handbag and ran away. The robber picked up the bag and fled. According to Ms. Yang, the bag contained over 1,300 yuan in cash, bank cards, ID cards, and other items. The entire incident was captured by nearby surveillance cameras.
The Southern Rural Newspaper learned that within the past two months, five women have been robbed with knives in broad daylight near the Postal and Telecommunications Neighborhood, with the total value of stolen items exceeding 8,000 yuan.
No distinction between officials and civilians
In Xucheng, robbers target not only ordinary residents but also officials. Internet users revealed that during the May Day holiday in 2011, a traffic police officer from Xucheng was also robbed near his home.
On May 19, Southern Rural Newspaper reporters learned from the Xucheng police that the targeted officer was the head of a certain team under the Xucheng County Traffic Police Brigade. Around 2:00 AM on the day of the incident, the officer drove his private car back to the Huajian Neighborhood where he lived. As he parked his car in front of a large barbecue stall at the edge of the neighborhood, a young man came and knocked on his car window. The officer lowered the window and asked what the matter was. The man claimed he wanted some money.
Upon hearing this, the officer became furious. He got out of the car to inquire further while calling his wife to seek help from the neighborhood security guard. "I'm a detective!" The officer tried to intimidate the man by falsely claiming his identity, but the man showed no sign of retreating and replied, "So what if you're a cop? You still need to give me money."
The officer immediately punched the man, knocking him to the ground. Just as he was about to call the police, the fallen man suddenly leaped up, striking the officer on the temple. A scuffle ensued until the neighborhood security arrived, subduing the robber. During the struggle, the officer suffered multiple injuries to his head and arms, and the robber had a piece of flesh torn from his forehead.
The case drew the attention of many nearby residents. At this moment, a young man suddenly rode a motorcycle over, pretending to be searching for the robber and intending to beat him up. Thus, everyone stepped aside to make way for him. Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the robber broke free and jumped onto the motorcycle, escaping from the scene.
That evening, Deputy Political Commissar Lin Weiqiang of the Xucheng County Public Security Bureau directed police forces to conduct a search and arrest operation. By May 25, the case involving the robbery of the traffic police officer remained unsolved.
Cruelty leading to both robbery and murder
In frequent robbery cases, any slight resistance from victims could result in life-threatening situations.
At 8:20 AM on March 25, Xucheng County resident Ms. Li and her daughter arrived at her mother-in-law's house via a tricycle motorcycle. As soon as they got off the vehicle, a motorcycle suddenly sped toward them from behind. The man seated at the back reached out to grab Ms. Li's wallet. She resisted fiercely and was slashed by the robber, severing two of her fingers. Only because someone on a motorcycle passed by did the man refrain from delivering a second blow and quickly fled. Due to timely medical treatment, Ms. Li's two severed fingers were successfully reattached.
At around 10:00 PM on March 12, a resident passing by the Xia Guo Primary School in Nanshan Town, Xucheng County, discovered a man lying by the roadside, covered in blood. Subsequently, the police and medical personnel arrived at the scene, but the man had already died due to excessive blood loss from a stab wound to the heart. After investigation and interviews by the Criminal Investigation Team of the Xucheng County Public Security Bureau, the deceased was identified as Mr. Wang, male, 39 years old, from Yanpo Village, Chengbei Township.
Local police disclosed that before the incident, Mr. Wang worked as a security guard for a telecommunications company in the county. To supplement his income, Mr. Wang often rode a motorcycle around town offering rides to passengers. After the case occurred, his motorcycle disappeared. Based on this, the police speculated that he might have been robbed and killed during one of these rides.
Five days later, the "March 12" case was successfully solved. Suspects Zeng Moujie, Li Moujian, and others were arrested, and the police seized a fruit knife used in the crime and the stolen motorcycle.
Editorial Note: Affected by various factors, the social security situation in Xucheng once became relatively severe several years ago. In August 2008, shortly after taking office as the Party Secretary of Xucheng County, Zhong Li chose the Public Security Bureau as his first stop for research. A month later, a special campaign named "Iron Courage and Iron Fist to Punish Evil, Building a Safe Xucheng" was launched, heavily cracking down on crimes involving gangs, firearms, drugs, "two snatches and one theft," and gambling. In 2009, Xucheng maintained a tough stance against serious criminal offenses and was awarded the title of "Advanced County in Peaceful Construction of Guangdong Province" that year. In 2010, a series of specialized actions such as "Xu An," "Yue An," and "Thunder" effectively deterred and struck down criminals in Xucheng.
After a series of specialized rectifications, the total number of criminal cases in Xucheng was effectively controlled, and the social security situation improved somewhat. However, recently, a series of consecutive snatch and robbery cases have once again tightened the nerves regarding local social security.
The quality of public security is not only the primary visible indicator for the public to evaluate government performance but also an important reflection of deep-seated social contradictions. To combat snatch and robbery criminal activities, it requires both strong measures through specialized rectifications and improving management levels to comprehensively and meticulously "tune" the imbalanced social structure.
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