Robberies targeting locals and pedestrians, along with motorcycle thefts, have recently surged in the townships of Hlaingbwe, Paingkyon, Nabu, Don Yin, and Htilon, in Hpa-An District, Karen State.
Nearly all the villages in these four townships have seen an increase in crime levels, according to a resident of Hpa-An Town who said that most of the crimes are being carried out by groups of people rather than individuals.
He said to KIC: “In some villages, up to 20 motorcycles have been stolen. The thieves usually operate in groups and target only high-end models. They use highly sophisticated tools that can bypass the motorcycle's lock system with just a few clicks. Motorcycle thefts are more frequent during the day.”
Most stolen motorcycles are never recovered and thieves have been emboldened because the rule of law is weak and authorities are making no efforts to catch criminals.
A resident of Paingyon Township suggested that the increase in gambling was directly connected to the opening of many temporary illegal gambling events, known as ‘Our Days’ events, in Hpa-An District since October 2024. She also blamed the crime wave on an increase in drug use.
She said: “Women now feel unsafe when going out alone. There have been instances of people wearing gold and jewellery being robbed. As [the number of] Our Days [events] increases, crime is also on the rise. Theft used to be rare in the past, but now, people have become morally corrupt due to gambling and drugs.”
Robbers and motorcycle thieves often carry knives and even sometimes pistols. This means that though some victims wanted to shout for help they remained silent because they feared for their lives, according to their relatives.
The Unity Committee for Karen Armed Groups (UCKAG)—which is made up of KNU Brigade 7, the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), and the KNU/KNLA Peace Council (KPC) signed an agreement to take effective action against illegal gambling rings in Hpa-An District and issued a directive banning their operations.
But locals have criticised the UCKAG because it has not effectively cracked down on such gambling operations.
