Loansharks in Serangoon North

The last couple of years has seen a tremendous increase in the number of loansharks
cases in Singapore. From police stats...more people have been arrested for criminal harassment, intimidation, vandalism and other brutish crimes in connection with illegal loansharking activity.
The number of young persons arrested have also seen a marked increase. Many are still in schools while others are school dropouts. Some are as young as 11 or 12 years old ( Primary school kids).
Most of those arrested are themselves "debtors" turned runners for the illegal syndicates. Some found it so lucrative that they offered their services as criminal intimidators and vandals to different syndicates for a fee. Schoolgirls are also involved in such crimes these days.
The schools must be at a dead loss as to how to prevent and stop their students from turning into juvenile criminals.
Almost all of these criminal activities take place outside the school and at times totally beyond the control and jurisdiction of the schools.
I have only one QUESTION to pose to the parents or guardians of these teen-age loansharkers....
these are your children, your sons or daughters involved in attempts to physically harm or injure or even kill innocent people by throwing acid, petrol, kerosene, paint and setting their doors/homes on fire;
What have you as legal parents been doing?

Do you not monitor the activity and behaviour of your children?

If you have not done your duty as parents then you will need to shoulder a major part of the blame.
Your son or daughter may have just messed up their life for good.
It is high time that parents be held partly accountable for the unspeakable crimes that some of their kids commit against innocent and defenceless folks which are now common place.
In the UK, parents of kids who skip school without reasons and found loitering etc..are held responsible. There are legislation to punish them!

In the light of all these nefarious activities, I am very, very pleased and proud to learn that my friends from the Serangoon North Merchants Association has just formed their very own neighbourhood "Loanshark Watch Group". This 19 member group will work closely with the residents and police to keep a close watch on things in their own kampong which had been hit recently.
I like this kind of kampong spirit!
So, they have 19 members...Unk Dicko will offer his special help to make it 20.

There is a story on RAZOR TV that featured them.
I just saw it. Click to see at the Straits Times online news 11 Nov 2009.