In the last few months, there have been at least three spectacular instances of entrepreneurs bravely resisting armed hold-ups.

In one case, an elderly owner of a jewellery shop in Valletta wrestled the armed robber to the ground and overwhelmed him. Then, in early December, the son of a jeweller attacked by three men near his house in Attard took the firearm the intruders were carrying and shot two of them. In a more recent case, a hairdresser in Żebbuġ fought back when a hooded man walked into his salon and held customers and a 12-year-old boy at gunpoint. Although the thief escaped after a struggle, a man was later apprehended by the police and charged with stealing from a number of shops in the locality over a period of five weeks.

In all three cases, the victims put their lives at risk by resisting the attackers and thwarting their criminal intentions. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. But it could so easily have been a different story.

These and other broadly similar incidents – even if not as dramatic – raise wider issues about life in Malta.

First, there is a perception of an increase in crime against the person. Although, overall, crime statistics are still thankfully low by comparison with many other countries, our reputation as a safe and secure country could be tarnished if the apparent rising trend of such crimes is not brought under control and reversed.

The safety in which people can go about their daily lives is one of the key factors in attracting not only foreign residents and tourists but also foreign businesses. It is an advantage the country rightly promotes but it has to be cherished and protected.

What can be done to reverse the trend and make people feel safer? Two obvious solutions should be considered.

The first concerns the efforts by the police at crime prevention. They do a good job at maintaining law and order and in their war on drugs or other major crime. However, their presence on the streets is thin. Foot patrolling – known in other countries as community policing – is virtually unknown outside parts of Valletta and St Julians. The mobile squad evidently needs to be complemented by other units within the police force. There may therefore be a need for district officers to play a more proactive role to increase deterrence.

The second is to involve the community in crime prevention without exposing them to unnecessary danger as was the case with the heroes mentioned earlier. There may be a role for a greater part to be played by local communities, perhaps under the leadership of local councils and encouraged by the police. So-called Neighbourhood Watch schemes have proved successful in many other parts of the world in reducing crime. They consist of a partnership between the police, local communities and, most importantly, individuals and families living in the area who want to make it a safer place.

Neighbourhood Watch schemes aim to help people protect themselves and their properties and reduce the fear of crime by means of greater vigilance, accurate reporting of suspicious incidents or behaviour to the police (the emergency line 112 is a useful tool) and by fostering a greater community spirit. A vigilant community backed by more visible police presence on our roads could prevent crime, especially petty offences, and avoid putting bold victims at risk.

One of the key features contributing to Malta’s internationally recognised high quality of life is its reputation for a crime-free environment. However, we cannot afford to be complacent about it.