TAIF, 7 September — Police in Taif have arrested 21 pickpockets including women belonging to various countries. They were allegedly involved in picking the pockets of people who gather at Al-Abbas Graveyard.
Brig. Awad Al-Humaid, assistant police director in Taif, told Arab News that special agents would investigate the pickpockets before turning them over to judicial authorities to take punitive action.
He said police had confiscated money, iqamas (residence permits), driving licenses and other documents from the pickpockets. Police will give the iqamas and licenses back to their owners.
Humaid said a special committee, including policemen and criminal investigation officers, has been set up to prevent pick pocketing at mosques and graveyards.
He called upon the public to inform the police whenever they experience pick pocketing so that the police could try to restore their stolen money or other valuables.
Meanwhile, the anti-beggary department in Dammam arrested 70 beggars having different nationalities and handed them over to the Passports Department.
Abdullah Ali Al-Radhy, director of the department in Dammam, told Arab News that the arrested beggars included 30 Saudis, mostly children.
A committee comprising representatives from the police, governorate, Commission for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice, municipality and anti-beggary department has been set up to stem the growing number of beggars who are found mostly in front of supermarkets, restaurants and mosques in the region.
Expatriates among the beggars would be jailed and deported while Saudis would be jailed for two weeks to two months, Al-Radhy said.
