The provincial capital of Guangdong Province will soon equip all of its public buses with surveillance cameras to deter pickpockets and robbers from preying on passengers.

Xian Weixiong, director of the Guangzhou Communication Commission, said that crime on public buses had increased since the city's ban on motorcycles in the downtown area took effect on January 1.

The cameras will be part of an advanced video network linking the local police's crime-reporting center to every bus in the city. Bus drivers will be able to use the system to report to police when crimes have taken place on their buses.

"The video network is expected to cast an inescapable net that will help reduce the crime rate on buses, which is currently high in the city," Xian was quoted as saying by the local Southern Metropolis News.

The move will make Guangzhou the first city in the country to equip its public buses with cameras.

In a related matter, the city will also require all of its taxis to be equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) device in a bid to help cut down own the number of taxi robberies, Xian told the paper.

He added that these measures were expected to significantly reduce crime on both buses and taxis.

The Guangzhou Communication Commission is reportedly working with local police to launch a four-month special campaign to crack down on bus and taxi crimes.

Local residents have welcomed the camera scheme.

"The electronic cameras will certainly help deter people from committing crimes on buses and reduce the high bus crime rate in the city," said Xie Xiaolan, 32, a local white collar worker.

"It is good news," she told China Daily yesterday.

Xie added that she had had two cell phones stolen in a single month last year.

The Guangzhou municipal government plans to invest more than 70 billion yuan (US$8.95 billion) to upgrade its public transportation facilities and systems during the period covered by the 11th Five Year Plan (2006-10), said communications commission chief Xian.

In addition to buying new buses and building up the city's public transportation network, the earmarked funds will also help pay for the new security systems, the paper said.

Editor: Yan