What is happening in Samoa with so many break-ins? The reasons given are poverty or feeding a drug habit?  

There is no denying that many are living below the poverty line, and many living pay cheque to pay cheque. Is it unemployment, displacement or just belonging to a group of delinquents for some? Youth with nothing better to do? Most videos of theft I’ve seen include males in their mid-20s to 40s, probably unemployed and needing a quick fix or quick cash. Are they stealing to feed their families? Some are. The women steal food items like coffee, milk and smaller items but it is men and boys who are robbing whole houses.

One article by Samoa Observer in February mentioned a man stole boxes of corned beef, and cigarettes, while others took cash and alcohol. I guess the more publicized cases are the public servants or private company employees who steal a significant amount of money, $100,000 to a million.   

If I am a single woman living by myself or with young kids, I’d be worried about the amount of break-ins during the day, evening, and early morning now. These crimes used to occur at night but today, thieves work in groups and target certain neighborhoods during broad daylight. A few people have gone away during the Christmas holidays, only to return to an empty house. Laptops, furniture, clothing, phones, and kitchen equipment are all gone.  If the thieves had furniture trucks, I’m sure the beds and everything else would have been taken too. I remember one thief, stealing a rice pot with cooked rice inside! Yikes! How safe is safe?

The cameras are only good for evidence after the robberies, the dogs are a good deterrent but even they succumb to poison. Neighbourhoods should have neighbourhood watch groups now because we will not be finding police chasing every thief. Thieves killed seven of my big dogs in less than three days trying to get to the farm, they only managed to steal hoses and PVC pipes but still, what the hell is wrong with people these days? If you cannot steal stuff successfully, do not take it out on the animals.  

For our area, the robberies started at Vaitele, then Siusega and now Ululoloa. These are the walking thieves. The thieves who come to Aleisa, Faleasiu and rural targeting cattle and farms, come at night and use cars.  There is a running joke amongst farmers about the thief who took one leg off a cow and then came back for the other legs.  

We laugh but this happens. Things can be replaced in time and fortunately, we are told to store our treasures in heaven, still, this is a problem right now.  Enjoy the rest of your week Samoa and stay safe out there.