An important police message that everyone should read”- Is FAKE !!

Due to the crisis in Sri Lanka, people are facing tough times meeting their basic needs. In such a background a message from the Sri Lankan police about gangs stealing is spreading on social media under the theme "police message that everyone should read." Here's our investigation report on it.

Social Media Posts :

Posts circulating on Facebook and various social networks claim that the police department has issued a 25-point announcement.

“POLICE NOTICE =====================================

The police have issued the following announcement to the general public. In particular, we kindly request that school teachers, children and parents be informed about this.

An important police message that everyone should read.. Read till the end

Beware..

Important facts that all of us should know in this economic crisis.

⭕ Be it in cities or villages, many people are not earning much these days so you have to face unexpected events due to job losses / business impact.*

1. People at home, children, school and college boys/girls, working women/men should be very careful.

2. Don't wear expensive watches.

3.Avoid wearing expensive jewelry and be careful with handbags.

4. Men should avoid wearing expensive watches, expensive bangles and chains.

5. Do not use your precious mobile phones in public places. Try to minimize the use of cell phones in public places.

6.Avoid carrying strangers in the vehicle.

7. Do not carry more than necessary amount of money.

8. Keep your ATM and credit cards safe while you travel.

9.Call home frequently to see your elders, spouse and children.

Instruct senior citizens and doormen to keep a safe distance from the main door when ringing the doorbell and, if possible, to keep the grill gates locked to prevent access to the grill to pick up parcels or letters.

11. Advise children to go home early.

12. Don't take lonely streets or cross roads to get home. Try to use main roads as much as possible.

13. Youngsters, be aware of your surroundings when you go out.

14. Always keep the emergency number handy.

15. Keep a safe distance from people.

16. People often wear masks. So it is difficult to identify people easily.

Inform your parents, siblings, relatives, friends or guardians about your destination using coolie (hire) cab services.

18. Try to use government public transport as much as possible.

19. Avoid crowded buses as much as possible.

20. Use 6.00 am to 8.00 pm for your daily activities, use main roads as much as possible. Avoid walking alone on deserted streets.

21.Avoid spending too much time in commercial complexes, beaches and parks.

22. Arrange for adults to accompany children if they have to go to training sessions.

23. Do not get out of your vehicles with any valuables.

24. Once you get into the vehicle, lock the doors.

25. Call the police immediately if pedestrians in Colombo and suburbs deliberately touch vehicles and demand money. Please provide the number. Take a picture of him.

We must be responsible citizens in following traffic laws and act to protect ourselves and our belongings. This should be followed for at least 3 months or until the condition improves. Share with everyone you love. All relevant authorities in your area are requested to issue a notification in the interest of our countrymen. Take care~

Police Department...”

Facebook | Archived Link

This message was widely shared on WhatsApp

We decided to investigate this.

Fact-Check :

Our initial investigation focused on checking whether mainstream media had reported the issuance of the mentioned message by the Sri Lanka Police. However, we discovered a lack of any such reports from media sources.

As we continued our inquiry, it became evident that this message had circulated on Sinhala language social media platforms since 2022. You can access the Sinhala version of our fact finding report on this matter by clicking here.

We also inquired about this from Police Media Spokesman Nihal Talduwa. He emphasized that no such message was issued by Sri Lanka Police. He also said that this message is a false information that is being highlighted from time to time.

Regarding this matter, the Police Media Division, in a press release issued in 2022, explicitly underscored that the mentioned note was a fraudulent post and not officially released by the Sri Lanka Police.

The Police Media Unit highlights the negative impact of fake posts, noting that they cause inconvenience to the public and tarnish the credibility of the police. Emphasizing a responsible approach, they assert that the police disseminate information to the public through the media, using official statements issued by the police media unit with its letterhead, and they warned public not to rely on irresponsible social media posts.

Disclaimer:

In this article, we've clarified that the Police Media Unit did not issue any such message. Instances like these can occur, underscoring the importance of remaining vigilant and taking proactive measures to ensure your own safety.

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Conclusion :

Our investigation has definitively confirmed that the social media message circulated under the title "Police message that everyone should read" is indeed false. It does not represent an official announcement issued by the Sri Lanka Police, as falsely claimed within its contents.