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Foreigners In Saudi Arabia Fall Easy Prey To Crooks Posing As Cops
8 August 2009
MAKKAH: None of my victims noticed that my shirt was too tight, my shoes weren’t the kind worn by security officers and the metal badge on my hat was not a genuine badge but rather just some rinky-dink medallion I picked up at a local souq. But despite my rag-tag attempt to resemble an officer of the law, most foreign residents I stopped didn’t even suspect or question my fraud and seemed ready to throw money or valuables at me to be left alone. In one instance I stopped a group of Pakistani men from Balochistan and demanded to see their iqamas (work/residency permits). They were scared and quickly admitted they didn’t have iqamas. After I ordered them to get inside my vehicle, they pleaded with me by offering the little money they had and their mobile phones to be left alone. I then identified myself as a journalist and told them that they should not be so quick to fall prey to impersonators like myself. I told them they should make note of their surroundings, and understand that real law enforcement officials tend to have police cars and radio equipment, and that they don’t work alone. Looking very relieved the men thanked me and offered their prayers for my peace and safety. Impersonating law enforcement officials to rob scared foreigners (especially illegal residents) may not be the most common crime in the country, but it occurs often enough to be a staple of the crime blotters of local newspapers. The most difficult part of this scam on the part of the scammer is acquiring either a real uniform that fits or at least cobbling together an outfit that is real enough. My journey for my costume began by going around to tailors in the city to see if anyone can make me a uniform. This effort was in vain, as every tailor I encountered said he would not make me a uniform unless I could show a military ID card or a notarized letter from my commanding officer. Lacking these documents I decided on another strategy. My friends suggested I visit some of the more crowded city markets and check the clothing stalls for discarded uniforms. I began my search at Al-Juma Market. After some perusing I found an African vendor who had a military officer’s shirt and was helpful enough to suggest that I could have pants made that resemble the ones that went with the shirt. And then the haggling began. The man said that since I wanted the uniform for obviously bad intentions, he wanted SR700 in exchange for helping me. I got him down to SR250 and became the proud owner of one used, ill-fitting old shirt that once belonged to a Saudi security officer. The vendor was nice enough to throw in a hat that, with a little embellishment, I supposed could pass for a real police hat. I picked up a pair of camouflage pants at a sports goods store that didn’t quite match the shirt. For the hat, I found a medallion and affixed it to the front. I decided to forget about finding boots and just wore my usual shoes. At this point I looked like an imposter, but I would discover soon that the costume was good enough for the work I set out to do. Dressed like a fraud, I began my mission to stop foreigners in different parts of Makkah. I stopped my vehicle on a side street and left the door open to create a makeshift checkpoint. In most cases it was very easy to put foreign residents on edge and get them to offer bribes to be left alone. In one case a Bangladeshi man seemed defiant in his attempts to give me money. “You won’t get anything if you process me for deportation,” he said. “So you better take this money and let me go.” When I asked him why he had such an attitude, he scoffed and said he’s used to this kind of treatment. In another instance, a Pakistani man told me he didn’t have his iqama and began yelling loudly in Urdu. It was clear he was warning people in his building, most of whom were probably illegal residents. When I told him he should either go inside and bring out the lawbreakers or pay me money, he quickly chose the latter and then was visibly relieved when I identified myself as a reporter. Eastern Province spokesman Brig. Yusuf Al-Qahtani downplayed the problem of fake officers shaking down foreigners for cash. He claims there are only 20 or so cases per year and that tailors are checked to ensure they aren’t making uniforms for crooks. As far as real uniforms are concerned, he says it’s not impossible for them to make their way to the black market. “Military retirees often keep their uniforms and sometimes would give them to others in good faith,” he said. Uniforms could end up discarded and then make their way to local markets, such as the shirt I bought from the African vendor. Al-Qahtani recalled an incident where a young unemployed Saudi youth stole his brother’s military uniform and was parading around town in the outfit. The young man turned out to be suffering from psychological problems. Makkah police spokesman Maj. Abdul Mohsen Al-Mayman said that tailors must obtain a license to make police or military uniforms, but that they could end up stolen and find their way into the hands of crooks, or even journalists posing as crooks.
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