A local Arabic newspaper recently ran a high-profile story on its front page. According to this story, 41,284 cars were stolen in the Kingdom last month and the police have only been able to recover 4,538 of them. The newspaper also ran another story that SR250,000 in cash had been stolen. We come across similar stories on a daily basis and we can say that there is no effective mechanism to keep a check on the increase in crimes in the Kingdom. I can cite several examples in support of this. On the other hand, the security forces were recently able to apprehend a person who tried to kidnap a child thanks to the Saher speed cameras dotted across the Kingdom. Similarly, when a student at King Khaled University was found dead in a university corridor, a spokesman for the university was able to say that CCTV cameras recorded that the student had collapsed while walking, and that there was no foul play involved in his death. All of these incidents emphasize the need to install surveillance cameras in our souqs, shops, malls and streets. The usefulness of Saher cameras demonstrates this. As a result of Saher, there has been a sharp drop in the number of drivers speeding and running red lights; Saher has been successful in reining in reckless drivers. The introduction of CCTV would be instrumental in lowering crime rates in the Kingdom. We often come across, via social media and smartphones, video clips of people caught in various types of crimes, such as damaging public property. The installation of CCTV has played a significant role in stopping this type of behavior. There are many countries that use CCTV to keep a check on crime and anti-social behavior and we can follow suit. Britain is in the lead when it comes to it. In London alone, the average person passes a CCTV camera 300 times a day. Therefore, installing security cameras should be made compulsory in souqs, hospitals and all other public places where people gather in large numbers. This would be useful in helping to catch criminals, particularly those involved in theft, kidnapping, sexual harassment and the like. It would be ideal if the authorities could also install CCTV in residential districts where the majority of crimes, such as car thefts, occur. Fortunately, the Kingdom has sufficient wealth to be able to install cameras in almost all of its cities and regions in order to reduce crime. The world, as a whole, is getting used to the idea of having CCTV cameras. They are essential not only in catching criminals but also in preventing crimes from taking place.
