Crime fight: Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee says publicity and enforcement has been stepped up to stop bank robberies.

Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee says Hong Kong's law and order situation is stable and the city is one of the world's safest, although the January-May crime rate rose 3.3% over a year earlier, to 32,611 cases.

He said after the Fight Crime Committee meeting today violent crime went up 8.2%, to 5,849 cases, mainly due to increases in theft, theft from vehicles, criminal intimidation and assault.

Of the 19 bank robberies, Mr Lee said in 14 cases robbers just fled after tellers pressed the alarm button while those in the remaining five cases fled with money. Police have arrested four people in connection with at least 10 cases.

"To deal with the problem, Police have liaised with the banks on how to enhance their security and we have also stepped up publicity. Through all these efforts - publicity and enforcement - I think we have successfully stopped the tide. Now, of the 19 cases, 17 occurred in the first three months of this year. In April, there were two cases and in May, there was none. These figures indicated that the measures taken by Police were effective," he said.

On the proposed Interception of Communications & Surveillance Bill, Mr Lee said it has struck a fine balance between effective law enforcement and human rights protection.

"As a matter of fact, we have drawn on the experience of other common law jurisdictions in this respect. That is why the proposed bill, I think, is the best legislation in comparison with the existing law or other laws passed in Hong Kong in respect of covert surveillance and interception of communications."