Maintaining a secure society

The timely and speedy arrests by the Dubai Police of three people who are allegedly connected to the jewellery heist at Wafi City shopping mall are commendable. The efficient handling by the police of the crime reflects a great level of professionalism as much as effectiveness in dealing with such crimes. According to the police, two of the arrests were made here in the UAE while the third took place in a European country, with all the stolen goods being retrieved.

It is important to put matters into perspective when examining how the Wafi crime had taken place and how the police handled it from the beginning. For one thing, it is no secret that with the development of the UAE and the economic boom accompanying it, the country has turned into a lucrative point of attraction for many.

Thousands of people find the UAE the most appropriate place to visit, live in or work. The various government authorities have managed to maintain a relatively acceptable degree of security in the country, regardless of the high number of visitors and residents.

But this is only one aspect of the issue at hand, for it is a fact that many people would have shied away from the UAE if it had not been for the high level of safety, which the country enjoys. By no means is this an indication that the UAE lives as a crime-free society. In fact, the authorities have continuously brought many crimes into the public domain. But the fact remains that the crime rate in the UAE is low in relation to the total number of the population and in comparison to many other countries. The Wafi crime indicates that crime transcends borders. The level of sophistication by which it is carried out lends itself to be treated with a similar approach.