Number of theft cases in Sharjah increases: police report

Sharjah: Theft in Sharjah's commercial and residential areas increased by 41 per cent in the first six months of 2010, compared to the same time in 2009, police said on Wednesday.

The semi-annual police report issued recently by the Criminal Investigation Department at Sharjah Police said the rate of crimes such as drug abuse and assault had declined in the first half of 2010 compared to last year. The rate of financial crime increased by five per cent.

Gangs

A senior police official told Gulf News on Wednesday: "Vehicle thefts, in addition to stealing the contents from residents' vehicles, have declined since 2009, and the activity of international gangs smuggling vehicles outside the country have been completely eradicated this year."

Police recorded 717 cases of bounced cheques last year, the report said.

The police spokesman said assaults, which included murders, attempted murders, suicides, kidnappings and rapes, had declined by 14 per cent in the first six months of 2010 as compared to the same time in 2009.

"These kinds of crimes usually increase all the time, but the rate this year has recorded a decline, especially in cases of violence with weapons and cases of suicide," he said.

"To curb these crimes, police have increased their inspections among isolated areas and houses," the police spokesman said.

"We have also intensified our campaign against illegal residents and infiltrators, who arrived to the country only with the intention to commit crimes." Bootlegging in industrial areas and workers' accommodation had also dropped.

The rate of drug-related crimes in the first half of 2010 had reduced by 12 per cent as compared to 2009,

"But there has been a slight increase in drug consumption, includes consumption of sleeping pills and medicines that were sold illegally," he said.

Reports of drug trafficking peddling and possession also declined.