| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| One-quarter of Mecca pickpockets either pros or other pilgrims |
| 2007-11-30 |
| A recent study concludes that nearly a fourth of pickpocket crimes in the two holy cities are committed by people who are in the cities solely for the purpose of stealing from pilgrims or are pilgrims themselves who are supplementing their trips by theft. I am shocked, shocked to find Muslims committing crimes against one another at their holiest place! The report, entitled “The Psychological and Social Impact Pickpockets Have on Pilgrims,” was the result of research by Mahmoud Kasnawi of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Haj Research Institute with the aim of developing strategies to protect pilgrims from such crimes. The study concluded that 17 percent of the pickpockets in and around the mosque complexes at Makkah and Madinah are there for the sole motive of stealing while 16.5 percent are the pilgrims themselves. The rest are opportunists that steal when the chances arise but aren’t pre-meditating these criminal acts. Oh, so you're saying that TWO-THIRDS of the pickpockets in Mecca are ordinary Muslims who see someone else with their guard down? Lovely. The study also contends that 46.5 percent of the pickpockets arrested at the Grand Mosque in Makkah were Egyptians. About one in five people that have been arrested for pick-pocketing are women. About 14 percent of the pickpockets sleep in the Grand Mosque or on the pavements, bridges and tunnels, the study said. The report underscored the need to minimize the sense of insecurity and loss of mental peace caused by the acts of pickpockets on the pilgrims. Some gangs use children under the age of 15 to steal from pilgrims. Teenagers account for a third of the pickpockets. Lovely. Another finding of the study was that 10 percent of the pickpockets have been for Haj more than once, possibly encouraged to return because of the money they stole during the previous pilgrimage. This just keeps getting better and better. The study also said 84 percent of the arrested pickpockets were married while 67 percent of them had their family with them. While 86 percent of the pickpockets traveled to the Kingdom on their private earnings, the remaining stole the money to pay for the travel expenses. Thrifty! Allah helps those who help themselves! (to other people's property) The study noted that most of the thefts take place close to Kaaba at the time of tawaf (circumambulation) to take advantage of the heavily crowded conditions and the fact that pilgrims often carry with them their valuables. |
| Posted by:gromky |
| #8 So are you behaving yourself, Pilgrim? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2007-11-30 21:17 |
| #7 what would be interesting is how many pickpocket criminals there are during the Hajj. If its only, say 20 or 30, then its not really a big deal. If its 2000 or 3000, then its a serious problem for the pilgrims (who also have to worry about dying of thirst or stampeded). |
| Posted by: mhw 2007-11-30 14:04 |
| #6 ...with the aim of developing strategies to protect pilgrims from such crimes. How about a nice fresh pile of freshly chopped Egyptian pickpocket hands? Right over there by the Kaaba... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-11-30 13:18 |
| #5 We should be shooting clerics as prime GWOT target. End of story. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-30 13:18 |
| #4 All your pockets are belong to us. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-11-30 13:13 |
| #3 Hold on to your zamzams! |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-11-30 11:08 |
| #2 No believing Muslim would steal, because they could lose a limb in this world, and burn forever in the next. The fact that theft prevails in those countries reveals an interesting fact; many "Muslims" only go through the motion of belief in that murder cult. The Islamization movement began only as atheist ideologies were penetrating Muslim culture. It is probably a reaction to the cleric's fear of losing status. We should be shooting clerics as prime GWOT target. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2007-11-30 10:42 |
| #1 Where the f**k do you find a pocket on a djebellah? Maybe they mean purse cutting... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-11-30 10:18 |