UAE: Drive seeks to strengthen measures against thefts from cars

Sharjah - However, there has been a significant dip in thefts especially from cars and pickpocketing.

The Sharjah Police have urged the residents of the emirate to be cautious and protect their belongings from all kinds of theft.

The authorities have launched a month-long awareness campaign under the slogan entitled “your belongings are your responsibility” to educate members of the society to safeguard their belongings and not to keep any valuable items in cars.

The initiative comes in the wake of some reports of thefts that have been lodged under a few police stations in the emirate.

However, there has been a significant dip in thefts especially from cars and pickpocketing, the police said.

Colonel Omar Ahmed Balzoud, Director, Criminal Investigation Department, Sharjah Police, said that the campaign aimed to strengthen preventive measures against thefts from cars. He cited that the move was in line with the Federal Ministry of Interior’s strategic aim to further enhance safety and security for the Emiratis and the residents alike.

Awareness videos are being put out in three languages -- Arabic, English, and Urdu -- on social media platforms of the Sharjah Police and the electronic display screens installed in malls and commercial centres across the emirate.

The police are leaving no stone unturned to create more awareness among the public amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Colonel Balzoud warned the public against negligence and leaving their cars without adequate precautionary measures. “Motorists should take necessary preventive measures by ensuring that the doors and windows of their cars are closed, and vehicles’ engines are not running. To prevent thefts, valuables and cash should be kept in safe places and a vehicle should be parked safely, especially when its owner is out of the country for long,” he said.

He pointed out that a few thefts that have come to their notice were because of the car owners’ negligence.

The modus operandi of the thieves is simple. “Usually, they break the triangular glass on a car window to open doors of a vehicle and steal whatever valuables they can lay their hands on. At times, cars are left unlocked by owners near supermarkets, bakeries, houses, public facilities, or isolated areas. Such negligence gives a windfall opportunity to thieves,” he said.

He urged the public to contribute towards enhancing the sense of security among members of the community by calling on 999, 901, or toll-free number (Najeed) 800151 to report any crime or abnormal or suspicious behaviour.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah