DUBAI, 23 June — Dubai police have urged authorities in the United Arab Emirates to impose restrictions on issuing visit visas to travelers from some countries, including Pakistan, India, Iraq and Ethiopia, during the Dubai Shopping Festival.
A study conducted by the Police Department revealed that most pickpocketing take place in crowded areas — especially in markets and shopping malls — during festivals. Figures show that the majority of the crimes were committed in March in the past three years.
Pickpocketing represented 44 percent of the crimes handled by different police stations in Dubai.
The study, quoted by Khaleej Times daily, pointed to an increase in the number of cases of pickpocketing. The number of such crimes rose from 95 in 2000 to 137 in 2001, an increase of 10 percent and to 184 in the first quarter of this year — an increase of 11 percent.
According to the study, 73 percent of the pickpockets escaped because they used methods that are hard to detect and also because most of the victims reported the cases late.
The study said that pickpockets, comprising 47 percent of a total of 154 criminals arrested, were found to be foreigners. Seventy-three of them entered the country on visit visas and 11 were unemployed.
Accordingly, the study recommended the need for restricting visit visas for people from these countries and suggested that those charged with pickpocketing be denied entry to the country in the future.
It also underlined a precondition for those applying for visit visas from these countries to furnish a conduct certificate from the authorities in their respective countries.
The study stressed the need for awareness campaigns to warn residents and visitors and advise them not to carry large sums and not to take money out in crowded places.
While the crimes were committed by people of 32 different nationalities, most of the cases involved nationals from nine countries topped by Pakistanis representing 12 percent, Nigerians nine percent, Iraqis and Indians eight percent each, Bangladeshis 6.5 per cent, Iranians 5.9 percent, Azeris 4.5 percent and Syrians and Ethiopians 3.9 percent respectively.
