The escalating rise in restaurant robberies across Malaysia has propelled many eateries to employ armed guards despite it being a costly affair..
Terence Wong a restaurant owner told Asia One on Tuesday, "It is an unusual and costly move for a restaurant but we feel that prevention is better than cure. We had heard about restaurants being targeted by robbers so we decided to engage an armed guard a month ago."
Wong added that having an armed guard around has made customers feel secure.
Restaurant robberies have gone up significantly and have been witnessed in various areas across the country. Those restaurants functioning 24 hours are more prone to the attack. Earlier in April, eight armed men looted an eatery in the Ara Damansara township.
Manager Wong Thian Foh of the Lala Chong Seafood Restaurant said that since 2008 there was security for its Kayu Ara restaurant but never thought that the one in Ara Damansara could be looted since it was situated in a posh locality.
In early June, it was reported that CCTV cameras would be installed in eateries after several burglaries were reported from Pudu and Cheras areas.
Police ACP Ramli Mohamed Yusoof had told Bernama that CCTVs and employing security guards were effective measures for preventing criminal activities since police cannot patrol the same location at all times.
Even though the escalating robbery reports in the country have turned heads, the issue found no mention in Kuala Lumpur Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)'s report on Malaysia's Crime and Safety Report 2013.
