The scent of fried chicken and the vibrant rhythm of pop music in the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) store near China International Exhibition Center in Beijing continue to entice customers but a few days ago clients were stunned to find a big yellow placard hanging near the entrance of the fast food chain store. Eight red Chinese characters painted strikingly proclaimed: "Crimes Happen Frequently in the Restaurant".

Cops from the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau had erected the billboard. Bureau officials said the notice represents a responsible campaign to alert local residents about potential crimes. This public service does not pertain to any administrative orders and does not infringe on anyone's personal rights, the police said.

The yellow board was taken off a few days later after the KFC store reactivated its security cameras. But other billboards did not disappear in the surrounding area; similar warnings have been posted in neighboring Chinese restaurants, including "Bazhen Dumpling" and "Daoxiangyuan Yunnan Guoqiao Rice Noodle".

The police chose to post their announcements in restaurants with a high record of theft. Unsurprisingly, restaurant owners disapprove of the measure. "The board has hung here for more than a month; it does affect our business. The police officer's duty is to catch thieves, but now, when they hang this kind of board in front of our door, it appears that theft prevention has become our responsibility," said an anonymous female manager from the Yunnan rice noodle restaurant.

Customers feel divided over this issue. Some believe that such a notice acts as a positive security alert, while the others prefer a more considerate way to warn clients, a way that does not harm the credibility of a restaurant.

(China.org.cn by Wu Jin November 30, 2007)