RIYADH, 20 June — Several cases of theft and burglary have been reported in the Riyadh area this month, including three this week alone when burglars fled with large amounts of cash and jewelry.
Sanaullah Khan, a senior executive whose house was burgled recently, said a case was lodged with the local police but recovery of his lost cash and jewelry looked remote.
The daylight robbery committed yesterday at an expatriate woman’s house in the fashionable Rawda district has triggered a new debate on the need to check the growing incidence of burglaries in the capital. Home appliances and gold worth SR50,000 were stolen from the house.
Although the Ministry of Interior has implemented an integrated security patrolling system to contain various crimes, a well-organized gang of thieves seems to be on the prowl.
According to an official report published recently, Riyadh region tops the list of recorded theft cases. Of the 27,140 thefts and burglaries reported Kingdomwide last year, more than 12,500 cases were reported in the region. This includes thefts of livestock.
During the last two weeks, more than 200 heads of sheep were reportedly stolen.
Prince Ahmad, deputy minister of interior, has said that efforts are being made by the ministry to control theft cases. A number of surveillance cameras have been installed in big compounds and public places to detect any attempt of theft and robbery.
"Municipal officials have been instructed to illuminate streets and residential quarters to discourage thieves from operating under the cover of darkness," he said.
The prince attributed the rise in crime rate to the population growth in cities, increasing number of illegal residents and drug addiction among youngsters.
Referring to the theft case at her house yesterday, the expatriate woman said her Bangladeshi houseboy was detained by the police on suspicion.
"The houseboy was alone in the apartment when the burglary took place," said the woman. But the servant claims that he was tied to a pillar by the burglars who cleaned the house of all valuables and fled in a getaway vehicle parked outside the apartment.
"They took away all the valuables including jewelry, home appliances and the music system," said the woman, who did not want to be identified.
Sanaullah Khan, whose apartment at Haiul Wazarat was the scene of another burglary, said that jewelry and cash worth SR10,000 were stolen after thieves broke the wooden door to enter the house.
