Burglaries call for added vigilance

Visitors to the UAE from countries with higher rates of crime are often shocked to see expensive cars left running and unlocked in shopping mall car parks, homes left unsecured, and wallets and purses unattended in shopping trolleys. The low crime rate has meant we who live here sometimes fall into the trap of lowering our guard.

But low crime doesn't mean no crime and the UAE is occasionally targeted by international criminals who specifically seek to take advantage of some residents failing to take proper precautions. As The National reported yesterday, the police have recently arrested foreign members of three separate criminal gangs that had set up in the UAE.

Two of the gangs are accused of 36 burglaries across the Emirates that netted Dh15 million worth of jewellery and other goods, while the third gang is comprised of a group of Nigerians allegedly running cybercrime attacks in the US and elsewhere from an Ajman apartment.

While we are accustomed to the efficiency and vigilance of the police in catching these criminal gangs, the responsibility for keeping everyone safe has to be shared across the community. The saying that the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance extends to those who wish to live free from crime.

Nobody would like to see homes here turned into the mini fortresses that are common sights in cities like London, Mumbai, New York and elsewhere, but all of us need to be careful, especially at this time of year when so many people travel overseas.

It’s simple things such as ensuring homes are locked and valuables secure, rather than relying on the lack of criminals in our midst and the efficiency of the law enforcement agencies.