Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STPETERSBURG10
2009-01-23 11:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate St Petersburg
Cable title:  

2009 OSAC CRIME AND SAFETY REPORT - ST. PETERSBURG

Tags:  ASEC KSAC 
pdf how-to read a cable
R 231107Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2671
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000010


DS/DSS/ICI, DS/ICI/CAS, DS/ICI/PSS, DS/CIS/PSP, DS/PSP/FPD,
DS/PSP/PSSD, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/AO/PMD, DS/IP/FPO, DSERCC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC KSAC
SUBJECT: 2009 OSAC CRIME AND SAFETY REPORT - ST. PETERSBURG

OSAC CRIME AND SAFETY REPORT 2009 - ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

Overall Crime and Safety

As in many large cities, street crimes such as pick-pocketing,
mugging and auto theft are fairly common in St. Petersburg. The
incidence of violent hate crimes has risen during the last
several years and continues to constitute a serious threat for
racial, ethnic, religious and sexual minorities. Organized
crime and corruption also remain significant issues for foreign
businesses and tourists in the city. The threat of terrorism
remains a concern despite a lack of significant terrorist
activity in recent years. Police corruption hinders the city's
efforts to increase the general level of safety.

General Crime

There have been no significant changes in the level of street
crime in St. Petersburg during the past year.

Americans, like most foreigners in St. Petersburg, are easily
recognized as such and have been the victims of robberies and
assaults in both tourist areas and residential neighborhoods.
Many attacks occurred during daylight hours and in
well-populated areas. Bystanders rarely came to the aid of
victims. The use of edged weapons is more common than the use
of firearms in the commission of such crimes, although firearms
remain accessible to criminals in St. Petersburg. A popular
tactic of criminals is to file down the edge of a Russian coin
to razor-sharpness, which allows the coin to be used as an edged
weapon while still providing the criminal with a pretext for its
possession if apprehended by police.

Criminals are attracted to areas frequented by foreign tourists
and business travelers. Nevsky Prospect, Peter and Paul
Fortress, the Hermitage, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Church on the
Spilt Blood, Artists' Square and the Mariinsky Theater are all
targeted by pickpockets and other petty criminals. Petty
criminals also target the public transport system. The Gostiny
Dvor subway station, in particular, is the site of a spate of
pick-pocketings and muggings. Recently, the criminals have
carefully targeted their victims, pursuing those with expensive,
high-end cameras. It is believed that the Gostiny Dvor
pick-pocketing ring is backed by the Russian police in an
arrangement known as a "roof" (krisha) protection racket.
Nevertheless, the subway, trolley and bus systems remain the
safest and best regulated of St. Petersburg's public transport
options. Unlicensed taxis, or "gypsy cabs," and minibuses

(marshrutki) are considered to be more dangerous both in terms
of the likelihood of crime and traffic safety.

Some areas of St. Petersburg, while historically important and
popular with some tourists, remain even more dangerous than
mainstream tourist attractions. Sennaya Square and Apraksin
Dvor are two such locations. Both areas are characterized by
poor lighting, transient populations, and low-end businesses.

"Gypsy crime" or "Roma crime" is a specific kind of street crime
common to St. Petersburg. It involves large groups of Roma (an
ethnic minority pejoratively referred to as "gypsies") who
aggressively swarm and distract their intended victims with
various artifices in order to grab purses, wallets and other
valuables. One notable technique, the "baby drop," involves
pushing an infant into a victim's arms and then fleecing the
victim's pockets as the victim holds on to the infant. While
these crimes are not necessarily violent, resistance by victims
can result in the use of violent force by assailants. Roma
crime groups usually operate with "muscle" hidden around corners
or in nearby crowds.

Drink druggings are still a source of concern in St. Petersburg.
These crimes usually involve the surreptitious placement of an
incapacitating drug in a victim's drink. The victim may be
distracted by a co-conspirator, such as an attractive woman,
while the drugs are surreptitiously introduced into the victim's
drink. The co-conspirator then suggests that the victim
accompany her (or him) to a car or hotel room, where the victim
succumbs to the drugs and is robbed. Such drugging usually
occur at bars and nightclubs frequented by tourists. While most
druggings occur in low-end establishments, some incidents have
been recorded in the city's best bars and nightclubs. It is
advisable to order only bottled drinks, ensure the drinks are
opened in one's own presence, and maintain control of the drinks
at all times in order to minimize the risk of being drugged. In
the event of a drugging, the victim should seek immediate
medical attention. Criminals constantly experiment with the
chemicals used in the drinks, and new variations with different
side-effects may appear.

The most alarming criminal trend in the St. Petersburg area has
been the rise in reporting of pedophilia and sexual molestation
of children cases. While these crimes were limited to Russian
residents of St. Petersburg and may not have a direct impact on
foreign travel and business, Russian media gave considerable
coverage to the growing threat of crimes against children.

Contacts express concern that the global economic downturn will
cause a rise in crime. One result of the economic downturn has
been a slowdown or halt of work in the construction sector.
Many of those being turned out of work are young male immigrants
from ex-Soviet Central Asia or the Caucasus, often without
proper documentation and therefore with no access to any sort of
social safety net. While statistics have been scarce, it is
feared that poverty and discrimination could lead the newly
unemployed to resort to criminal activity.

(II) Terrorism

In August of 2007, a high-speed train returning to St.
Petersburg from Moscow derailed near Novgorod. 60 passengers
were injured and 1 passenger was killed. The Russian Federal
Security Service (FSB) declared the derailment a terrorist act
and took control of the investigation. To date, no one has been
prosecuted for the derailment, although several arrests have
been made. Doubts linger as to whether the derailment was
actually a terrorist attack, or merely the result of poor track
maintenance.

FSB also investigated a reported threat to assassinate St.
Petersburg governor Valentina Matvienko. There have been no
reports on the veracity of the threat and no subsequent media
reports on the investigation's progress. Recently all suspects
were acquitted.

In October of 2008, authorities reported that they were looking
for a vehicle reportedly full of explosives near the mosque in
St. Petersburg. A thorough search of the city resulted in the
vehicle, with the explosives, being located far from the
intended target. No additional information has been reported
and the group behind this possible attack has not been
identified.

Aside from these incidents, there have been no major terrorist
incidents, or suspected terrorist incidents, in recent years.
However, St. Petersburg is home to many ethnic and religious
minorities that may sympathize with terrorist groups in Russia's
Caucasian region. Tensions surrounding the loyalties and
sympathies of St. Petersburg's 40,000 Muslims combine with
Russian xenophobia to create an atmosphere of racial tension and
suspicion. This is particularly true in light of the 2008
military conflict with Georgia, which spawned many incidents of
discrimination locally.

In reality, the few instances of low-level "terrorist" activity
in St. Petersburg, such as pipe-bombings, have been revealed to
be part of hate crimes or organized crime activity. In October
of 2007, a pipe bomb was thrown onto a stage during a concert at
a local nightclub. No one was injured, and several local
skinheads were revealed to be behind the attack.

(III) Political Violence

Police and government security agencies maintain tight control
over dissident political groups and protests. Dissident
political groups must obtain city permits in order to march or
assemble. Police presence at such protests is overwhelming and
includes hundreds of riot police, riot-control vehicles, and
even helicopters. The majority of protests are peaceful,
however, a dissident march along Nevsky Prospekt in early 2007
was violently dispersed by riot police.

The US Consulate was the target of several peaceful political
protests during 2008. The majority of these protests occurred
during the Russian/Georgian conflict and in some cases resulted
in a "Flash Mob" - incidents when a demonstration occurs without
apparent (or easily monitored) communication; such as through
the use of SMS messaging. To this date, these types of
demonstrations attract smaller crowds and quickly disperse
without incident.

(IV) Russian Organized Crime

Although two children of a prominent real estate mogul were
kidnapped and released without payment of ransom in 2007,
kidnappings in Russia are rare, and likely associated with
organized crime. Hostile economic takeovers of local and
foreign-owned businesses continue to constitute a major security
issue in St. Petersburg.

Organized crime groups continue to run protection rackets with
impunity. In fact, it is believed that Russian law enforcement
agencies run their own protection rackets. The 2007 arrest of
Vladimir Barsukov, a/k/a Vladimir Kumarin, of the Tambov crime
family, was handled by top-level FSB officials due to concerns

about local police collusion with organized crime. The Tambov,
Kazan, and Malyshev crime families are the three major criminal
organizations in St. Petersburg. Organized criminal activity in
St. Petersburg extends into business, banking, public services,
natural resources, and even art and culture. Virtually all
businesses in St. Petersburg have a krisha (protection scheme,
lit. "roof") provided by organized crime.

Each year, many foreign businesses experience significant
problems with organized crime including extortion, blackmail,
and protection rackets. Joint business ventures, in particular,
can be targeted by Russian organized crime. However, exact
statistics on this issue are difficult to obtain. It is
advisable to exercise caution and diligence in establishing
business activities in St. Petersburg. Proactive security
planning and thorough screening of prospective partners and
employees are essential practices for foreign businesses in
Russia.

(V) Russian Police (Militia)

Police corruption in Russia remains a major problem. While
police coverage of the city is fairly comprehensive, with dozens
of substations, and radio cars trolling almost every street,
woefully poor pay, passivity and corruption greatly undermine
the effectiveness of law enforcement in St. Petersburg.
Motorists routinely bribe their way out of traffic violations,
and victims of crime are likely to find themselves confronted by
bureaucratic and unmotivated detectives.

Russian police maintain a special police unit for crimes
affecting foreigners, although this unit's operational
capability is questionable. Very few police officers speak
English. Russian police conduct frequent documents checks,
especially of minorities and foreigners. Foreigners are
required to carry their passports, with valid visas and
registration stamps, at all times. Document problems are a
frequent source of police harassment for foreigners and leave
foreigners open to the solicitation of bribes by police officers.

Crimes committed under color of authority, that is, crimes
committed by police officers or those dressed as police
officers, also continue to be a major problem in St. Petersburg.

While foreigners should always comply with police document
checks, it is advisable to note the names, badge numbers, and
vehicle numbers of any police present. There have been several
instances where police, or individuals dressed as police, used
document checks as a pretext for robbery. In 2008, one American
reported that while reporting an attempted pickpocketing, police
made photocopies of credit cards.

(VI) If You Are the Victim of a Crime ~

The US Consulate General continues to advise that Americans
report crimes immediately to the Russian police and the American
Citizen Services section of the Consulate. Russian police
usually do render basic assistance. It is recommended to file
an official police report, especially when an American passport
has been stolen. Crimes can be reported to the nearest police
precinct or by calling the "Militia Bureau for Crimes Committed
By and Against Foreigners." In instances of police inaction,
detention or harassment, Americans should immediately contact
the Consulate for assistance.

St. Petersburg emergency numbers operate 24 hours day:

Fire: 01
Police: 02
Ambulance: 03
Militia (Police) Unit for Foreigners: 278-3014

Medical Issues Related to Crime and Safety

The Russian medical system is slowly recovering from a state of
near collapse. There are no government-run hospitals in
St.Petersburg that provide full Western medical care, although
several private clinics offer care comparable to Western
standards. These clinics also have English-speaking doctors and
accept some US insurance, although patrons are advised to pay
strict attention to the procedures conducted and billed.

American Medical Clinic: 78 Moika nab., tel: 740-2090
(www.amclinic.com)

EuroMed: 60 Suvorovskiy pr., tel: 327-0301 (www.euromed.ru)

MEDEM : 6 Marata ul., tel: 336-3333 (www.iscpb.com)

These clinics can also arrange for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC)
to Western Europe, however, this is very expensive. The closest
MEDEVAC point is Helsinki, Finland.

The US Consulate advises travelers who have chronic illnesses or
who are infirm to consider the standard of medical care and the
costs of medical evacuation before traveling to St. Petersburg.
The Consulate further recommends that all travelers to Russia
obtain temporary traveler's medical insurance with coverage for
medical evacuation.

(VII) Tips for Avoiding Crime~

-Be particularly alert to your surroundings and guard your
belongings in restaurants, overcrowded public transportation,
and other high-density tourist areas. In St. Petersburg,
tourists should be particularly alert in the vicinity of
Gostiniy Dvor, along Nevsky Prospect and its underground
passages, Palace Square, Mars Field, surrounding areas of
St.Isaac's Cathedral, the train and Metro stations, food
markets, flea markets, and the Mariinsky and Mussorgsky theaters.

-When walking about, leave hard-to-replace non-essential items
such as credit cards, driver's licenses, association membership
cards, and family pictures with hotel safe deposit boxes or at
home.

-Never display large sums of money. Disperse your money
throughout your garments. Remember the amounts in each location
and when making purchases, retrieve only the amount of money
needed for that purchase.

-Beware of street vendors that seek to distract you.

-Be alert for groups of teenagers or young street children who
may quickly approach and assault you.

-Exercise caution when visiting nightclubs and other late-night
establishments. A number of establishments are owned and
frequented by organized criminal syndicates. These include
casinos and adult clubs.

-At nightclubs and bars beware of strangers inviting you to
drink at their table, particularly when they provide the alcohol.
Never accept a beverage in an open container from a stranger or
recent acquaintance. Keep an eye on your drink at all times.

-Be cautious when considering purchase of an antique from a
street vendor or any source. Failure to obtain export permission
could result in confiscation of the item, detention and/or
payment of a sizable fine.

-Do not exchange money from street vendors, as legal currency
exchange offices are widely available in St. Petersburg and
northwest Russia.

-Never lose sight of your credit card when paying for items or
services. The employees of some establishments have been known
to "double swipe" credit cards.

-Avoid using ATM cards if possible. Each year, thousands of
cases of ATM fraud are reported throughout Russia.

-Women should be aware that sexual assaults are as commonplace
in St. Petersburg as they are in most large urban areas in the U.S.

-Russian authorities require that foreigners carry their
passports and registered visas with them at all times. Travelers
should be aware that loss of a passport requires both a newly issued
passport and a Russian exit visa in order to depart the country.

-No traveler should seek to import or use GPS equipment in any
manner unless it is properly and fully documented before arrival
and is declared in full on a customs declaration at the point of
entry to the Russian Federation.

-All American citizens either visiting or residing in St.
Petersburg and northwest Russia are encouraged to register at
the American Consulate General.

Transportation

-Many people in St. Petersburg flag down private vehicles for
rides and pay the driver to transport them to their destination.
This is a high-risk form of transportation that should be
avoided.

-Motorists should also be aware that observance of posted
traffic rules varies widely.

-Motorists should avoid travel after dark in the countryside
outside of St. Petersburg and throughout northwest Russia.

-There is a no-tolerance policy for driving under the influence
of alcohol or drugs. It is possible to be arrested for driving
while intoxicated after only one drink.

-Trains between St. Petersburg and Moscow continue to experience
occasional robberies of compartments left unattended or not
secured. When traveling on overnight trains, secure the door to
your compartment to guard against unauthorized access.

American Business Community

-American businesses planning to operate in St. Petersburg
should consider the full spectrum of security issues before
establishing operations. This includes the possible hiring of
guard services, installation of technical security systems, and
systematic evaluation of the reliability of Russian business
partners and associates.

-Russian partners and locally hired staff should be selected
only after detailed screening and background checks. American
businesspeople may be held liable for the actions of their
Russian business partners who later prove to be associated with,
or have contacts with, organized crime. Additionally, American
businesspeople should be alert to the danger of extortion
threats (or worse) from their Russian business partners.

-American businesses may need to consider hiring a local
security firm to provide guards to protect premises and
personnel. However, particular attention should be paid to the
choice of a local security firm. The "License Unit" of the GUVD
(St. Petersburg Police) is responsible for licensing all private
security companies that operate in the city.

-Installing technical security systems, especially intrusion
alarm systems to protect office equipment and business
information, should be considered.

-American businesspeople should also take into account the
vulnerability to eavesdropping devices and individuals with
extensive training in human intelligence operations seeking trade
secrets.

-American businesspeople who utilize local services for banking,
security, and medical treatment should limit the information
provided to these institutions.

(IIX) For Further Information~

American Citizen Services
US Consulate General
Furshstatskaya ul. 15
191028 St. Petersburg
Tel: (812) 331-2600
http:\\stpetersburg.usconsulate.gov
E-mail: StPetersburgACS@state.gov

US Foreign Commercial Service
25 Nevsky Prospect, 3rd Floor
Tel: (812) 326-2560
E-mail: stpetersburg.office.box@mail.doc.gov
stpetersburg.office.box@mail.doc.gov

American Chamber of Commerce
24 Yakubovicha Street
Tel: +7 (812) 448-1646
E-Mail: all@spb.amcham.ru


GWALTNEY