TURKMENISTAN: AN APPARENT DECREASE IN THEFT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001301

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM SNAR PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: AN APPARENT DECREASE IN THEFT

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1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Theft is the second most common
type of crime in Turkmenistan, drug crime being the
most common. Although former President Niyazov
sentenced many criminals, including the heads of
criminal networks, to death in the early 90's, the
occurrence of theft later increased as the rate of
drug addiction began to climb. The most common types
of theft in Turkmenistan are pickpocketing,
shoplifting, and stealing jewelry. There have also
been instances of burglary, armed robbery, and motor
vehicle theft. According to several sources, theft
has decreased in recent years. Many attribute the
decrease to President Berdimuhamedov's refusal to
grant pardons to those convicted of drug crimes. END
SUMMARY.


3. (SBU) Theft is believed to be the second most
common type of crime in Turkmenistan (after those
involving illegal narcotics) since the break-up of the
USSR. Although no official crime statistics are
provided or published by the Turkmen government, a
local police captain and Embassy contact told us that
drugs and petty theft crimes are the most prevalent,
and that among the latter, the most common are
pickpocketing, shoplifting, home robberies, car stereos
and the theft of jewelry. More serious crimes such as
burglary, armed robbery, or motor vehicle thefts also
occur, but much less frequently.


4. (SBU) The number of thefts in Turkmenstan went up
towards the end of the Soviet Union and in the early
1990's. Within Turkmenistan, the northern city of
Charjou (later renamed Turkmenabat) was believed to
have one of the highest rates of crime in the Soviet
Union, second only to Odessa, Ukraine. To combat the
trend, former President Niyazov in 1992 ordered the
arrests of more than 100 criminal leaders, and several
dozen were sentenced to death. Images of the dead
bodies of the executed were broadcast on state
television. Among those arrested was a well-known
crime boss from Ashgabat's Hitrovka district, known by
the name Aymurad. His crime network reportedly
threatened the public and was behind many home break-
ins, robberies, and motor vehicle thefts. As one
Ashgabat resident put it, "In the late 80's, when
Aymurad was around, everyone had to keep a stick in
their bedrooms to defend ourselves in case bandits
broke into the house at night. There were break-ins
and car thefts reported every week. Even our
apartment was burglarized and our neighbor's new Lada
was stolen from his garage." After Aymurad and his
associates were arrested and executed, the number of
crimes in Turkmenistan reportedly went down
significantly.


5. (SBU) Later, during the late 1990's, the rise in
drug addiction was accompanied by an increase in petty
theft, such as pick pocketing. Pickpocketing
normally occurred in markets and on public
transportation. Shoplifting was somewhat less popular
among drug addicts, as stolen goods then had to be
resold, whereas most addicts preferred crimes that
yielded quick cash. Auto stereo thefts were popular
as the equipment could easily be resold for a tenth of
its value. (One local contact had his car broken into
and stereo stolen twice in the same year). Car break-
ins also often occurred to steal purses or car
batteries, and tires were frequently stolen from

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vehicles.


6. (SBU) Another common type of theft in
Turkmenistan is the stealing of jewelry, which can
easily be converted into cash. Thieves normally rip
the necklace or earrings from a female victim. (One
woman reported that an addict attacked her right in
front of her home in Ashgabat). This has been
especially common at bus stops, where thieves
approached unsuspecting victims from behind.


7. (SBU) After the convictions and executions of the
crime bosses in 1992, car theft became rare, and most
people now feel comfortable parking their cars on the
street at night. According to an Interior Ministry
official, there were only two car thefts during all of

2008. In both cases, reportedly committed by drug
addicts, the car owners had left the car unlocked
and the keys in the ignition. Armed robberies and
burglaries are also uncommon now. The only recent
known case of armed robbery occurred at a gas station
in Geok Depe village in August 2008. There have been
occasional reports of addicts robbing victims at
knifepoint.


8. (SBU) Many attribute the decrease in theft during
the past few years to President Berdimuhamedov's
refusal to grant pardons to those convicted of drug
crimes. As the number of addicts in communities has
decreased, so has petty theft. As a Mary resident put
it, "Two years ago, we couldn't leave even a shovel
unattended in the yard or it would disappear right
away. Drug addicts in our village would steal
everything not nailed down. Now, however, there are
hardly any thefts." Another Ashgabat resident noted
that his neighborhood is much more peaceful now, and
observed that addicts now prefer regular employment,
such as washing cars or gardening, to support their
drug habits. "They know that if they steal, they have
no chance of being amnestied."


9. (SBU) COMMENT: Drug addicts in Turkmenistan are
blamed not only for theft, but also for violent crimes
such as murder and rape. Most Turkmen see the
government's recent policy of refusing to pardon drug
addicts before the completion of their prison
sentences as the reason for lower crime rates in
their communities. END COMMENT.

CURRAN