ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE (ACEQ) -

UNCLAS RIYADH 000374 FOR DS/TIA/ITA, DS/IP/NEA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PTER SUBJECT: ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE (ACEQ) - SPRING 2009, RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA REF: STATE 13020 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: This cable serves as US Embassy Riyadh's response to the Annual Crime Evaluation Questionnaire (ACEQ) for Spring 2009. There appears to be an increase in crime in the Kingdom. As recently as a year ago crime reporting was limited. Crime statistics are difficult to obtain but the general consensus of long-time residents is there is an increase in overall crime. Ministry of Interior officials warned Embassy staff to stay away from a middle-class Riyadh metropolitan neighborhood as they admitted it was a high-crime area. Some causes for increased crime are the downturn in the economy, high unemployment rates of young Saudi males, and increasing use of drugs, this despite being governed by strict Shari,a law and convicted drug abusers being subjected to harsh penalties. Local media is openly reporting stories about car jackings, rape and thefts which did not occur as recently as a year ago. There is an increase in violent crime as evidenced by the number of beheadings reported. In 2008, there were 156 beheadings in contrast to only 40 executions in 2006. Given the current trend in increasing crime, travelers visiting the Kingdom should take the same precautions they would take when visiting any large metropolitan city in the world. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) The topics and answers are keyed to the ACEQ reporting guidance in reftel. ¶3. (U) Crime Mobility (into Emboff neighborhoods):A Criminal elements almost always operate in their immediate neighborhoods, rather then enter Emboff residential neighborhoods. All US Embassy personnel are required to live on the Diplomatic Quarter (DQ). The DQ is a compound secured by Saudi Security Force (SSF) and a police force - DQ Police, under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior (MOI). DQ Police and SSF are stationed throughout the compound and generally deter and prevent most criminal elements, resulting in a low crime environment. During the past year, the majority of incidents reported to the Regional Security Office (RSO) in the Emboff neighborhoods has been sexual harassment of females from the local male population that live or visit the DQ compound. This harassment may come from third country nationals (TCNs) who work on the DQ, security, police forces, and wealthy Saudi males who "cruise" the DQ. This harassment is not limited to the American Embassy community, but includes other Western women on the DQ. The harassment occurs most frequently while women are exercising or walking from their homes and offices and may be accompanied by inappropriate comments. Both men and women may be victims, however the majority of the reporting is by female staff. The Regional Security Office (RSO) also received a report of a break-in of a staff residence. The resident reported his house had been entered and maliciously flooded in November 2008. This report appeared to be an isolated incident, but as a result of this occurrence, the house's locks were changed. The victim has not encountered any further problems since the locks were changed. ¶4. (U) Crime Ambiance (Around Emboff neighborhoods): All Emboff neighborhoods are surrounded by a low crime buffer zone, which deter criminal elements from entering Emboff neighborhoods. While the areas surrounding the Emboff neighborhoods are generally safe, criminals appear to move freely throughout the Riyadh City limits. Outside of the DQ in the surrounding areas, there have been reports of vehicular theft, car jackings and purse snatchings. In November 2008, the RSO received a report involving a US Military Official returning to Eskan Village when the vehicle he was driving was side swiped. When he pulled over to view the damage on his vehicle the second vehicle involved pulled over and two males exited their vehicle and drove away with his vehicle. Theft from vehicles is another trend increasing throughout the Kingdom. Items left in a parked vehicle, such as mobile phones, laptops, or other items of value are frequently stolen from vehicles. ¶5. (U) Aggressiveness of criminals: A and B Criminal perpetrators usually commit street crimes and burglaries, but rely on stealth during burglaries and are not deterred by risk of confrontation with occupants during burglaries. One such example occurred at the Deera Souk in February 2009. A young male attempted to snatch a Western woman's purse by wrestling it from her arm at 9:00 am on a Thursday morning. However, after the woman screamed and fought with the would be thief, he fled on foot only to be immediately apprehended by several shop keepers who came to her aid and detained the young man until police arrived. Police responded within four minutes of the incident. ¶6. (U) Arming of Criminals: A Criminal perpetrators usually are unarmed or armed with non-lethal weapons. From January 2008 until present, there have been no incidents reported involving criminals attacking Mission personnel or using non-lethal weapons. ¶7. (U) Aggregation of criminals: A and B Criminal perpetrators operate both alone and in groups of two to four individuals; they are often prepared to be confrontational but generally avoid gratuitous violence. In November 2008, a temporary duty (TDY) government employee at Consulate Dhahran was harassed by several Saudi males while at a shopping mall in Dhahran. This harassment was comprised of strong verbal attempts to coerce the woman into an inappropriate relationship. The perpetrators were very persistent, following the woman to her vehicle and forcing open her car door to throw a piece of paper with their mobile telephone number on it into the vehicle, and then following her vehicle as it returned to her residence. Ministry of Interior police expressed significant concern about the possibility of kidnapping in this incident. Their investigation identified the perpetrators and they were subsequently prosecuted. ¶8. (U) Deterrence/response of police: A Local police effectively deter crime in the Emboff residential areas. As previously mentioned Police do provide a deterrence to crime with the exception of the harassment incidents encountered. The closure of cases and convictions of criminals are unknown, as host nation does not report this data to the US Embassy, unless directly related to an Embassy report. The majority of conviction information is obtained through media reports. ¶9. (U) Training/professionalism of Police. B and C The DQ police are generally professional, however they have limitations that inhibit their effectiveness. Their effectiveness is inhibited during Ramadan. During Ramadan the police officer's performance is diminished as they fast during the daylight hours and in the evening attend large family events and return to work tired and hungry. Due to the repetitive nature of their security duties and the lack of crime on the DQ, security forces are apathetic toward their general security responsibilities. The RSO routinely receives reports of the SSF and DQ police asleep and/or inattentive while on duty raising concerns about their effectiveness. ¶10. (U) The POC at Embassy for this report is ARSO Karen Brown (966) 1 488-3800 ext. 4246. FRAKER