Passengers on two Yangon Bus Service (YBS) public buses were robbed by gangs in the Yangon townships of Hlaing and Dagon Myothit (South) on 5 November.

At around 6:30 a.m. on 5 November, a husband and wife on the YBS bus number 103 were beaten and had their belongings and jewellery stolen from them, according to residents of Dagon Myothit (South).

They said that a gang of five men got onto the bus at the Gate Huang bus stop in Dagon Myothit (South) Township, committed the robbery and left the bus at the Youtkaw Park bus stop in the same township.

Also on 5 November, at around 3:00 p.m., on the YBS bus number 22, about six people threatened some of the passengers with knives and robbed them of their belongings, including phones, wallets and jewellery, before getting off the bus at the Than Lan bus stop in Hlaing Township, according to residents of Hlaing Township.

In response to the incidents, a lawyer said: “The people of Yangon are no longer safe because of the situation in the country. So, there may be more thugs and we must prepare on our own. For our own safety, we should carry pepper spray or an electric tazer. Also, people need to work together to fight the thugs, but right now, people are just standing around watching the robberies.”

None of the robbers in the two incidents have yet been arrested, according to locals.

Since the junta took power there has been an increase in crime.

On 2 November robbers stole 20 million kyats from a construction materials shop in Pabedan Township, Yangon and on 30 October an elderly couple was found murdered in their home in Yangon City’s Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township.