Police issue alert on robbers new tricks: Leaving crying baby outside homes at night to lure people out of their houses
Knowing that people would always instinctively come out of their homes to investigate what is happening once they hear a baby crying incessantly outside their homes, robbers are using this new trick to lure out unsuspecting residents and attack them.
This alert is being shared on social media by those who have been affected, promoting the Malawi Police Service to issue out an alert after some victims reported this development to them.
A testimony that has been shared on social media by an unidentified female, says she and husband and witnessed an unusual scene from the window on Saturday around 1:30am to 2:45am when someone intentionally left a baby — wrapped in a white cloth — right in front of their gate.
“The baby cried for over 30 minutes, and it stopped crying,” says the testimony. “A guy in black, hiding behind our wall, crawled to hit the baby again to cry.
“When they realized no one was coming out to check on the baby, he crawled to carry it off the road and in a few minutes, a taxi came and they went away.”
The concerned citizen said when they contacted their neighbour to check if he had also witnessed something to this effect, he is said to be confirmed that this is an armed robbers new strategy and testified that his brother was robbed using the same method.
“Let’s all keep guard,” said the concerned citizen, which the Malawi Police further spreads the warning through their official Facebook page.
As disclosed by the concerned citizen, the Police corroborate that the robbers hide nearby, armed, ready for attack.
“Do not fall victim to this trick. When you hear a baby crying outside your house at night, do not open the door. Instead, call your nearest police.”
However, the alert from the Police attracted an avalanche of criticism on the way the law enforcers operate, saying their response to reported emerging crime is not satisfactory.
Several said the Police emergency lines that have been provided are always out of reach and that though they are toll free lines, all of them are from one service provider, TNM.
Robert Ali John doubted that an area of about 96km — comprising just four police stations and one police car can handle such an emergency situation and in many cases police stations don’t have vehicles for rapid response.
Mark Kumwembe said: “Thanks for the update, our beloved Malawi Police Service, but improve on our response rate to the crime scene” while Desmond Desmond suggested that there should be a police post in every neighborhood.
“Instead of wasting police officers on traffic, they should be posted in neighborhoods. Every few houses should have a police kiosk nearby,” Desmond suggested.
In his contribution, Dennis Gonani said he was informed by a close friend that when he had called the police about armed robbers, he was asked what kind of a gun the thieves were carrying yet it is very difficult for most civilians to know a type of a gun and in the dark.
“One question I have to the Malawi Police Service, have you merged your fingerprint system to the national ID. This can surely help you track thieves even after they have left the incident.
“My opinion. I just hope the thieves are not reading my comment,” said Gonani on syncing fingerprints of robbers caught before to the national ID database.
Sankhulani Sam sneered at the police: “Inu koma kutseka ma bar you arrive in time, koma zokuimbilani kuti kuli okuba mmmmmmm you take ages” (the police arrive promptly to enhance closure of bars in line with COVID-19 preventive protocols, but when called for an emerging crime, they take ages).
“I called you last year on 6 February koma mpakana lero mukanali mu nseu (up to now you are still on your way). I have lost trust in you,” he said.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Has the paper actually checked any facts on this? It sounds a lot like an ‘urban myth’ from 2003 which was debunked by the fact checking website Snopes. Google ‘‘Crying Baby’ Serial Killer Victim Lure’ to see the Snopes report on this. I think this is very likely fake news.
I agree with this memessage of the police it is happening even in south Africa it was happening last night they put a baby out of someone’s gate they wait to see who will come out the first person will come out will be attacked so we have to be careful this are knew ways for criminals
How often do you hear the cry of a baby in he dead of the night when it is dark and there was no baby during daylight? Not quite often I would say, in fact very rare.
Malawians and social media. Too much fake news. ZIMABWERA MOCHEDWA ZA CHIZUNGU
If this is fake news, tell us the real news. Ngati muli m’gulu LA akuba, tiuzeni ngati yogwritsa ana’yi simunaiyambe.
People believe anything on social media without engaging their brains. Do people know that there are baby dolls that cries like real babies when you either touch them or wind the timer? I strongly feel this was the case. This couple did not go there to see if it was a baby. If we keep listening to this kind of rubbish, then real babies will be in danger because criminals will think that’s the way to go.
The point of the matter here is that They heard a baby crying, not whether the baby was real or not. Unless your suggesting that people should go out to confirm whether its a doll or not before reporting the incident and warning others. Zinanzi osamathamangila kuoneka ngati inu nde oziwa zonse et
Iwe nde wanena. James critical thinking seems yavutapo apa
So what is your point?
The point is doll or real child,people can not differentiate the cry like you have said either way anthu atsegula thinking kukulira mwana.
Chidole anaika ndani? Ndiwakuba
Amaikilanji? Kuti anthu aziti ndi mwana atsegule.
The racket is there,what they use is neither here nor there,so long as it sounds like a baby.