Nah, there's a lot of truth to it. Phone snatching and looting is common but underreported because nothing ever happens. I've travelled quite a lot and other than Brussels, London (my home city) is the only one where I'm cowering and shielding my phone for fear it will be snatched. I can't leave my bag or laptop out of sight for even a second.
Petty crime chips away at society by eroding trust, it needs to be punished Singapore style.
You don't generally stop such crimes by punishing them more harshly, you stop them by punishing them more consistently, which is a more expensive solution.
> London (my home city) is the only one where I'm cowering and shielding my phone for fear it will be snatched
I've been in London for the better part of 30 years now and have had a mobile phone for most of that time. Until the last couple of years, I was out and about all the time, usually with my phone, and I've had someone attempt to snatch it precisely twice.
> Petty crime chips away at society by eroding trust
That I do agree with.
> it needs to be punished Singapore style
That I do not. What we do need is a proper accounting of all crimes at all levels of society - "the fish rots from the head down" after all. When people see people in power getting away with crimes, blatant lies, and other bad behaviours, they'll often follow because why not?
Petty crime chips away at society by eroding trust, it needs to be punished Singapore style.