RESIDENTS of Ang Mo Kio and Sengkang can now turn to a special "message board" at their Housing Board blocks to learn about crime cases in their neighbourhood and how to protect themselves.

The so-called Neighbourhood Watch Crime Alert Message Boards will be installed at the first floor lift lobbies of HDB blocks in Ang Mo Kio GRC and Sengkang SMC as part of a crime prevention initiative by Ang Mo Kio Police Division.

Crime advisory posters will be put up on the message boards, the police said in a statement issued today. Information will be updated regularly to raise residents' awareness of crime trends in the neighbourhood.

The initiative was launched on Saturday by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is also MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, and Commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Keok Tong San.

Said DAC Keok: "The initiative aims to showcase the latest crime prevention messages and highlight the prevailing crimes of concern.

"Through this initiative, residents can not only gain greater awareness of how to take appropriate measures to protect themselves from becoming victims of crime, but also become more vigilant in looking out for suspicious persons or activity in the neighbourhood."

As part of a pilot phase, 295 message boards have been installed in 120 HDB blocks in Ang Mo Kio. Ang Mo Kio Police Division aims to extend the scheme to all HDB blocks within the division's jurisdiction by March next year.