The number of criminal cases and burglaries also declined by 5.3 percent and 4.2 percent respectively, compared to the same period last year, it added.

The achievements were a result of the country's two-year anticrime campaign, which will end this year after making "obvious progress in public security and order," according to bureau spokeswoman Yang Ye.

Yang said during the recent campaign, police cracked 870,000 cases of street robbery in China, nabbing 740,000 suspects. In addition, more than 30,000 gangs were busted.

Police found that many street robberies were a direct result of the flourishing black market for stolen mobile phones or loopholes in the current bank deposit system.

For instance, thieves prefer to steal mobiles because they know they can easily get it off their hands at the many underground markets.

And, even though the current bank deposit system requires locals to open an account under their real names, some loopholes do exist, which allow crooks to filch cash with stolen bankbooks, the bureau said.

"Shanghai and seven provinces, including Jiangsu and Zhejiang, will launch a pioneering campaign, in tandem with related departments like telecommunications firms and financial institutions to fight any possible criminal source," said Yang.

Since last month, Shanghai police have cracked down on the chaotic cell phone market, mainly targeting second-hand mobiles.

(eastday.com December 3, 2002)