The new chief of Public Security, Gen. Saeed Al-Qahtani, will have to deal with a long list of urgent matters topped by the fight against terrorism. This is an issue that calls for patience, but it is not a difficult task to tackle now. Unlimited official and public support is being given to security efforts aimed at eradicating the menace.
Another important file the new chief will find on his desk is the problem of car theft, a menace that continues to plague almost every part of the country. The file has been shifting from one desk to another for several years now and it needs to be treated as an urgent matter requiring immediate action.
The dossier is full of comments, suggestions and remarks all bearing official signatures.
Yet the problem is getting more complicated every day with no solution appearing on the horizon.
I have no exact figures on the number of cars being stolen at any given time, but officials in charge of the file will know. However, as a writer expressing an opinion based on my personal observations and what I hear from relatives and friends, I can say that the problem is worsening in the absence of a practical course of action to deal with it.
Frustration is mounting as people find themselves trapped in a tunnel while criminals continue to run after all types of cars, anywhere and at any time.
Security officials keep telling us the blame lies with car owners for not taking the necessary precautions to protect their vehicles.
It is the same old story: Shifting blame on others. I personally know, and maybe the chief of security also knows, of people who take safety and precaution seriously and yet have been the victims of car thieves.
These thieves know no place or time limit and continue to strike at will.
Cars are stolen outside mosques, schools, offices, homes and shops. Would someone please tell us why all this negligence on the part of the people who are supposed to protect people’s property? Please, no more statement putting the blame on the citizens.
We know it is not an easy task to clear our cities of car thieves, and we shouldn’t expect a miracle. All that we hope for is practical steps and results on the ground to convince us that something is indeed being done.
We also need to be told in a more open way about any progress being made in this matter.
Arab News From the Local Press 19 July 2003
