Sharjah: A man who habitually stole abandoned vehicles has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Central Region of Sharjah Police. The vehicles were abandoned by their owners for long periods of time in sandy, deserted squares and roads between residential buildings. The arrest was made in record time after receiving a report about him, police said.
Colonel Hamad Abdullah Al Riyami, Acting Director of the Central Region Police Department, said that a report was received by the Central Region Police from an Arab man who complained that his vehicle was stolen from the back of the building where he resided. The man admitted to his negligence in leaving the vehicle unattended with the ignition key inside the vehicle.
Immediately, a search team was formed by the CID to trace the missing vehicle and bring the culprit to book. Following investigations, the stolen vehicle was found and the suspect, identified as A.M., was arrested. It was also found that the person who had stolen the vehicle had sold it to another person. When the suspect was confronted by the police, he admitted to stealing the vehicle and also confessed that he had stolen several other vehicles that were abandoned by their owners and left at sandy areas for a long time.
The suspect was referred to Public Prosecution.
Colonel Al Riyami indicated that the Sharjah Police General Command, represented by the Community Police Department, in cooperation with the Traffic and Patrols Department, and Sharjah City Municipality, had earlier launched a field campaign targeting abandoned and wanted vehicles, after observing that a number of such vehicles were left abandoned for long periods of time.
The Sharjah Police General Command has urged vehicle owners to park their vehicles in safe places and avoid leaving their cars unattended with their engines running. They were also advised not to leave their vehicles in parking lots, sandy areas, side roads or in between buildings for long periods of time as such action often makes it easier for criminals to steal the vehicles or to tamper with their parts and accessories. Moreover, dust-covered vehicles left unattended in public places for long periods of time are an eyesore and detrimental to the image of the emirate.
