Riyadh police bust gang of thieves

Maher Abbas
Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — Plainclothes officers in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Riyadh police were able to arrest 13 members of gang, all of them youths aged below 20 years.

Their criminal activities varied between thefts and robberies at several locations and shops. They did not even respect the sanctity of mosques.

The arrested followed after the CID in Riyadh took measures to curb rising incidence of thefts, especially at the beginning of the summer season. The department collected information and kept suspects and previous convicts under surveillance. The officers also focused on locations where the youths used to meet. The department deployed their plainclothes agents among them.

The suspicions focused on 13 people who were cautious in their movements and used fake names. When evidence was available to nail them, traps were set and they fell into the hands of the security men, one after the other.

Interrogations revealed that they were involved in 52 criminal incidents, varying between thefts, robberies and breaking into homes, shops and mosques. They described the methods they used in carrying out those crimes, methods of selling the stolen items and sharing the booty among themselves according to the role of each gang member. They showed the security men the locations where they carried out thefts, robberies and burglaries. These were matched with the reports received by the police from the victims.

Riyadh police called on parents and guardians to keep a watch on their young sons, especially during the vacation period when they have plenty of leisure time. The police stressed that parents must encourage their children to spend their time in useful matters.