The police headquarters in the region issued a circular on the first day of the fasting month to all its stations in the capital to pay special attention to houses whose occupants have gone out for shopping or prayers.
“People go out for taraweeh prayers and then for regular shopping during Ramadan till 3 a.m.,” said a police official said, adding that their houses are left unguarded during these hours.
The new action plan would lead to more police patrols in these areas and ensure officers are questioning anybody loitering in the streets, he said.
It has been reported that burglars often strike when people are away from their homes. It is commonplace to find the streets empty and people indoors between iftar and Isha prayers. Residents then go out from taraweeh prayers until sahoor time.
In Nasseriyah district, a mobile shop was looted on Saturday while the shop was closed from Maghrib until Isha. The shopkeeper lost SR16,000 in cash and some expensive mobile phones.
Under the new action plan, police will also monitor the movement of crowds in the mosques, shopping malls and other public places.
The police have also asked members of the public to cooperate with authorities and exercise maximum caution when they leave their homes, either for prayers or shopping.
Each police station will have their own security plans to nab burglars or car thieves who exploit new opportunities to carry out criminal activities during Ramadan.
Any suspicious movements witnessed on the streets should be reported to police headquarters.
Police have deployed officers and patrol cars in all crime hotspots to prevent offences being committed.
