RIYADH, 27 October 2003 — A study conducted by the Anti-Crime Research Center in the Ministry of the Interior has revealed that the majority of car thieves in Saudi Arabia are either students or unemployed youth.
According to a report in Al-Watan newspaper, the study showed that a third of car thieves were unemployed, with students the next largest group. Together the two groups make up 60 percent of car thieves. But the paper added that job seekers — a separate category — came in third place, indicating an even stronger link between unemployment and car theft.
The research covered prisoners and detainees in the 10 regions in Saudi Arabia where the majority of thefts and arrests took place.
The study revealed that the number of Saudi and foreign inmates arrested or awaiting sentencing for car theft was 1,225, of whom 844 were Saudis and 381 foreigners. More than two-thirds of this number were amateurs and pranksters who used the cars for joyrides and other reckless behavior, the paper said.
Nearly half of the car thieves included in the study or 46.8 percent were of poor financial status, the paper said. The ages of thieves ranged mainly from 18 to 24, with minors falling in second place. Together the two age groups represent two-thirds of car thieves.
A majority of car thieves were poorly educated.
Most car thefts took place in the Kingdom’s three main regions — Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province — where three-quarters of the crimes or 75.3 percent occurred.
