JEDDAH, 18 August 2005 — Overstayers have developed fast escape routes and strategic getaway plans to flee before security forces manage to break in to their residences.

According to police, overstayers are getting better at planning their escape routes in advance. As soon as security forces enter an area, illegal residents are seen moving like the wind. Once they are far away and out of danger from the midnight visitors, they use their mobiles to inform friends who might still be unaware of the coming problem.

During previous raids large numbers of overstayers have been arrested as police surround an area with officers spreading out on most streets and alleys. But in the last few raids, police reached dead ends in many houses: When they forced entry, they found AC’s still running, hot water on the stove and open windows — but not a person inside. In a few cases, they did find someone but he was either physically handicapped and could not run away or a smiling expatriate with all the necessary documents. In one apartment, five mattresses were seen in each of the two bedrooms and clothing for both men and women was found in different rooms.

One Nigerian woman was found alone in her apartment even though the police had been informed of a number of African overstayers there. When the police knocked on her door, she opened it with a smile and said, “I have a valid iqama.”

She welcomed them and willingly let them search her apartment; there were items obviously belonging to other people — it appeared she shared the apartment with several others — but no one else was there.

When asked, she replied, “I live alone.” The policeman was shocked. “No husband? How can a woman like you live all alone? It’s unbelievable.” She replied modestly, “No husband, but I wouldn’t mind marrying you if you wish and are so concerned.”

Then she went into the living room where she sat down and completed her dinner, inviting the officers to join her. They declined her invitation and left her to finish her meal. One police officer said, “We know that she had company in her house; that meal was for more than one person. They knew we were coming and decided to leave.”

Some illegal residents have made large holes in walls that separate them from their neighbors (who are also illegal overstayers and are in on the plot) and so two exits are provided in case of a police raid. Others have built an extra wall covering the original outside layer of the building, leaving a one-meter space between the two and opening a window-shaped exit to jump out in case of a police raid.

During a raid in Al-Sabeel district yesterday, a police officer pointed at a building and said, “See the hole in the outside wall of that building; that’s how some get away. Every time there’s something new.” He added that overstayers are more ingenious than ever; most of them have an escape plan all thought out.

Ibrahim Ahmad was sitting in his living room with his family when four muscular African men suddenly came in, fleeing from the police. Ibrahim walked out of his house and called for help; the police were knocking on the door of the building next to his and he shouted at them, “They are in my living room; come and get them.”

The police rushed into his house and forced the men out. They had apparently jumped onto Ibrahim’s roof while the police were knocking on their door.

A police official said that some illegal overstayers have fixed strong pipelines outside the building in order to secure a safe way to climb down in case of a police raid.