R 011547Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0305
INFO FBI WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHDC
DIA WASHINGTON DC

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