BEIRUT: Police and security bodies are mounting a new campaign to get a grip on thefts and other crimes taking place throughout the country, amid political uncertainty.
In a telephone call with The Daily Star, ISF commander General Ashraf Rifi said that within a matter of 10 days, public security conditions would improve. While the ISF recently netted Lebanon’s most-wanted man, Abbas Tleis, in a raid in the Bekaa, local authorities have been taking steps to counter a worrying wave of petty crime, including car theft, breaking-and-entering, and other violations.
“We have drawn up a new strategy of counter-attack and its implementation is currently under way to bring under control thefts and serious crimes throughout the country,” Rifi said.
According to Rifi, thugs and thieves have gained a spirit of confidence in their acts in the absence of a functioning government.
“Just like in any other country, the political uncertainty boosts the incidents of theft and other crimes,” said Rifi, adding that a security strategy is vital in the event that negotiations over the formation of a new government drag on.
Incidents of theft, which have picked up recently in the districts of Metn and Kesrouan, will be reduced thanks to the vigilance of the ISF, said Rifi.
“We have [recently] arrested 15 different crime rings from different regions,” he added.
Although political uncertainty has elevated security and economic frustrations in the country, the ISF, Rifi said, would not let the security situation deteriorate further.
In a related effort, a meeting was chaired Thursday by the qaimaqam of Kesrouan, Joseph Mansour, who briefed ISF personnel and municipal officials on the “vitally important” security situation following numerous complaints by the residents and shop owners in the area.
ISF officers at the meeting cited several factors as being behind the recent crime wave.
Major Johnny Dagher noted that the thieves are usually disguised and wear gloves, to prevent being identified or leaving fingerprints behind, and use stolen cars, to avoid pursuit.
Meanwhile, the Qaimaqam of Jbeil, Habib Keyrouz, held a separate meeting at his office where mayors of Jbeil, Amsheet, Halat and the cities’ Merchants Associations gathered to discuss security conditions amid a string of thefts that have targeted homes, shops and pedestrians.
“The experience of Amsheet was a successful one in which guards, policemen and municipality security personnel, through their collaboration with the ISF, have been able to curb the thefts in the town,” said Keyrouz.
In Thursday’s crime report, the National News said two armed men forced a BMW X-6, rented by Yahya Abu Khazzam, to stop and hand over the car on the Damour highway.
In Beirut, two incidents of mugging were reported, as motorcycle-mounted thieves targeted women. Turkiya Shamouti was robbed in the Barbir area, while Obeid fell prey to theievs in the coastal Ramlet al-Baida neighborhood. In both incidents, the thugs made away with the women’s purses, which included money and identification papers.
In separate news, thieves broke into the home of Karim Walim Shaaya in the Metn town of Sadd al-Boushrieh, where they were able to make off with jewelry and cash valued at more than LL15 million.
The NNA reported a number of incident of theft took place in Dbayyeh, when individuals broke into wooden shelters and mugged several manual laborers, making off away with their money. –The Daily Star
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