MADINAH, 5 September 2007 — Motorbikes are now spreading everywhere in Madinah, particularly near malls and markets. Many families have voiced concern of this growing menace, especially since those who drive them are young and the majority of them use their motorbikes to rob members of the public.
According to a report in Al-Watan, in Ramadan many bikers tend to take advantage of the traffic and use their motorbikes to steal from shoppers in the malls and other public shopping areas. Madinah police are known to increase their inspections to curb the presence of these motorbikes around malls and in crowded areas. According to the report, such riders target women and steal their bags and, what is of particular interest to them, cell phones that they can easily pick up.
Among the markets targeted by these bikers are Quba Market, Sultana Market, Bilal, and Gurban. The drivers gather in groups and are of different nationalities but most are less than 18 years of age.
In Quba Market, many women complained that their purses with money, personal items and cell phones have been stolen. Some added that their shopping bags were stolen particularly if they bore the name of a gold or watch shops.
