Crime rate in Aden… sharp drop [Archives:2003/667/Community]

By Mohammed Saeed al-Mikhlafi
Aden Bureau
“Since January and up to June 2003, statistics indicate that crime rate in Aden has seen a significant decrease, an achievement credited to security forces of Aden and their great success in detection and fighting of crimes.”
This was the statement given to Yemen Times last week by staff Brigadier General Mohammed Saleh Tareeq chief of security police of Aden governorate.
General Tareeq explained that the number of reported and registered crimes since January and until June 2003 had remarkably decreased, pointing out that the total number of criminal issues throughout the governorates were 1111 during the mentioned period, which is a relatively small number compared to the past.
Of most prominent cases were of bodily harm; 245 cases, taking alcoholic liquor; 309 cases and then the money pilfering issues which were 8 cases.
On other crimes registered in the governorate in the same period were 71 house burglaries, 51 cases of stealing things from cars, such as bags, tape- recorders and mobile phones, stealing of 34 cars, of which 28 had been recaptured and handed back to their owners. Other registered thefts were 27 shop thefts, embezzlement cases of public property and in companies amounted to 8 cases.
The total financial damage resulting from criminal issues during that period amounted to around YR 109,996,608 in addition to the value of the stolen cars.
General Tareeq confirmed that security forces were quite successful in detecting crimes and arresting criminals and the captured criminals perpetrated those crimes were 1818 persons and so far only 73 are still at large.
He said there were some incidents resulting from work injuries, suicide, drowning and fire were reported as totaling 127 cases while in the last year they were 141 cases showing a 9% decrease. Fifty seven death cases had also been reported which were 10 females. And 58 people were harmed out of which 9 were females. While incidents of work injuries were 24, 19 cases of attempted suicide were reported, only 6 were carried out.
Concluding his statement to the YT, general Tareeq said that through the statistical report on crimes there were 1516 arrested criminal cases reported, a 95.5% of the total cases while the number of cases that reached the general attorney was 1550 which constitutes 97.4%.
This decrease in crimes is credited to the increase in security awareness of citizens of the governorate and also to the efforts that are being exerted by the police as well as the support from the ministry of interior through its providing of a good part of security work requirements needed for combating crime and arresting criminals.
Colonel Abdulhadi Mohammed Ghalib, head of the criminal investigation department in Aden told the Yemen Times that: “There is continuous coordination between us and the international organizations for fighting drugs. And Aden is considered the most important city in Yemen due to its strategic location and because it is the winter and economic capital.''
Aden today witnesses a significant development in all aspects, for there is construction development and tourism- wise. Against those developments we must congratulate ourselves for accommodating and moving on with this rapid development and the development that comes through Arab and foreign labor which might bring unwanted behaviors to our society. And some might come through cases of fraud and illusionary companies, so in front of all those aspects the criminal investigation people and the security body must play a vital role in combating crime and in securing peace for the society and fighting crime before it happens.
Yemen Times has put some questions to colonel Ghalib to which had answered openly.
Q: What is the role of the criminal investigation officer in fighting crime before it takes place?
A: In the beginning I welcome the Yemen Times and we are happy with its communicating with its readers. The criminal investigation body is a specialized security agency dealing with cases that concern citizen's life, property and honor. The criminal investigation team is present in all the police stations in the governorate and works actively through the security instruments. Many precautionary measures are taken by the investigation body through regular security tours of some areas, some of them on foot and others in police cars. We work collectively with the health, education and al-Awqaf offices in order to put an end to the epidemic of crime.
Q: What is the relation between you and the health ministry office in Aden regarding medicines and drugs that contain stimulant and sedative components?
A: We have close connections with the health offices and we have arrested people of such cases and found out that most of them are committed by people from the African Horn countries. We have discovered some AIDS cases and homosexuals and drug addicts. All have been reported and sent to court and the general attorney, an example of which was a case where a Sudanese-Yemeni crossbred man was caught red-handed in possession of 22 kg of hashish and deserved a 25 years imprisonment sentence.
Q: Carelessness could be found in some health services establishments, what is your role in spreading precautionary awareness regarding careless attitude in getting rid of disposables that might lead to infections and epidemic diseases?
A: As for medical waste and used disposables that might lead to infection, then there is a special section in all hospitals for such cases. Also there are medical procedures taking place in the health office and hospitals management and there is a representative of the criminal investigation present, all working on curing the patient. However in many cases it is a hopeless case and so secure and stern procedures take place in order to protect the society and other healthy people from this infected person.
Actually we realize that there is some carelessness in some health associations such as the non commitment of some pharmacies and medicine stores that sell off medicines that are harmful and could be considered as drugs without medical prescription, seeking profit. But those are liable to legal accountability and health inspection authorities.
Q: Economic and social straits might lead to spread of crime. How do you deal with them?
A: As for the economic and social conditions which our society and the Arab world in general are living, we realize there is a great economy down fall and in such situations crime is a natural consequence regardless of the type and form. But here we in Yemen are still doing fine relatively and the crime rate is relatively low. We don't suffer from any alarming phenomena and our statistics indicate a decrease in the crime rate especially in the governorate of Aden.
Q: A Saudi Arabian security delegation on combating drugs has recently visited Yemen, how is the two countries' cooperation in fighting drugs?
A: There is continuous coordination between us and Arab and international organizations through the Interpol in Sana'a. And lately we have been visited by a delegation from the KSA security body commander Sultan al-Harithi head of the drugs combating department at the Kingdom's ministry of interior. In his visit he discussed with the criminal investigation officers in Sana'a and he visited us in Aden and had a sightseeing tour of the city, especially tourist utilities and monuments of the city. There is continuous coordination between us and the KSA on combating drugs and limiting its spread and smuggling through neighboring countries.
Q: Last comment?
A: I would like to thank the wise political leadership represented by president Ali Abdulla Saleh and also leadership of the interior ministry. And I especially thank the great citizens who have displayed great cooperation with the police in many cases and investigations and have the greatest role in establishing peace and security.
Also that awareness that is present among citizens of this governorate would enable them to embrace order and law and absence of arms carrying phenomenon. All these are factors reducing and curbing crime and help prevalence of security and stability in the governorate.
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