In Ye Township, Mon State, the military junta has completely failed to address rising incidents of theft and robbery, leading to an increase in criminal activity and a growing sense of insecurity among local residents.
According to locals, the junta has stopped taking any action against those committing thefts and robberies, even as the number of criminals exploiting the situation for financial gain continues to rise. Despite being caught handed, thieves are often released by the authorities within minutes, further emboldening their activities.
“Every day, thefts happen, both in broad daylight and at night. Even when we catch them and hand them over to the authorities, they are released within five minutes—sometimes before we even get back home. I’ve raised this issue with the local administration and the police, but nothing changes. They deploy soldiers to guard at night, but the same people are released in the morning. It feels like they’re protecting these criminals to gather intelligence or create trouble for the locals,” said a resident of Ye Township.
Residents report that these criminals are not only evading justice but are also being used as informants by the junta. Armed and operating in groups, they pose a serious threat to the safety of the community.
During the second week of August alone, more than six homes in Ye Township were burglarized without any significant investigation or recovery of stolen goods and money. The lack of law enforcement has left the community vulnerable, with daily life increasingly insecure.
“We can’t sleep at night. These groups move around in numbers—10 people in one neighborhood, 5 in another, 3 in another. They steal during the day from yards, and at night they break into houses. They take everything they can find, even robbing donations from monasteries. They harvest betel nuts from plantations, and the owners just watch because they’re too scared to speak out—these criminals are armed,” added another local resident.
This troubling situation is not isolated to Ye Township but is reportedly occurring across most townships in Mon State. Even in areas under junta control, theft and robbery are on the rise.
As the military junta continues to prioritize the arrest of those opposing the coup and supporting resistance groups, it has become increasingly clear that they are losing the ability to maintain order. With the ongoing economic crisis, including job shortages and rising prices, the threat of theft and robbery has added to the growing list of challenges faced by the people.
