House safety in Qatar
I am just curious to find out if I was an exceptional case,,,,,so if anyone has had a similar experience, please let me know.
My family had come down to Qatar to live and I managed to furnish a 4 bedroom Villa behind the Camel Market / wholesale market area. I had a Policeman as a neighbour and the main Police station, Muroor, just down the road. On one of my trips back to India for a week, I returned to find my house broken into and a brand new 52" LCD TV with a blue ray player and the full complement of Bose sound system missing. Along with that they stole 3 laptops, a VDO camera, a digital camera and some other electronic / electrical stuff like the microwave etc.
The cops came by did their stuff and it's 2 years now and I havent even got a police report from them!
They can seem to find my file.
The Cops here are so good at catching people who park wrongly in some weird way out place and there are CID personnel incognito all over the place. I was under the impression that this was a very safe place to live in.
Yes, my wife went home and has refused to return. I dont blame her one bit.
I have heard stories at the Police station of even more daring robberies in broad daylight at compound villas with 24 hours security and surveillance cameras.
I am not discouraging people from living in Qatar, just warning you not to assume that it is a safe place. Have your household items insured at the least. Do not leave young children unattended at home assuming that they will be safe. The thieves even mopped and cleaned my house up before they left!
I was also told by the police that if they do find my stuff, it would certainly land up at someone else's house!
If anyone has had a similar experience, please let me know, I am just curious to know if anyone has lost as much as Qrs. 75,000/- worth of electronics to burglars.
Depressing....I know....but what to do? We are strangers in a strange land.
Yeah, yeah yeah,,,,,I hear you!
Aristotle once said......aw forget it. It was so long ago....I dont remember!
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Eating beans is good for you,,,,,it makes you light on your feet and keeps people who(can)smell away!
Gosh, I was hoping I was the only one, but the way it goes, I am sure there are many more out there who have been burgled. The only option I see here is for those who would like to protect their house hold goods to insure them. The Police told me that the electronic goods are sent out of the country asap by door to door delivery agents. One of the agents who cam by our staffhouse was willing to deliver a 37" TV to Inida for just Qrs 250/- compared to the others who charge a minimum on Qrs. 2500/- This was the same outfit that lost a couple of other friends' shipment of electronic goods. When we refused to use their services, they wanted us to pay a service charge for coming all the way out to the residence to pick it up. On being challenged and threatened, he made a quick exit without so much as a backward glance! Watch out people......dont take things for granted here in Qatar. I wonder if the authorities are even concerned....I am sure many read these columns.
On August 29th, 2008 our villa was broken into in the wee hours of the morning. My husband and I had arrived around 1:00 am from the US. The taxi driver helped to unload all of our bags to the curb outside the gate in front of the villa.
We took all of our bags upstairs, but left our laptops downstairs. At 7:00 am, my husband asked if I had moved the computers into another room. I said, "No." After looking around downstairs for the laptops, we discovered we had been robbed.
We called the police and a CSI team came out to take fingerprints from the desk and the front door. Someone had pried the lock in the front door; entered the villa while we were sleeping; took 3 laptops; took a money clip with money; and ditched one of laptop bags on the side of the villa before leaving.
The primary suspect was the taxi driver. We had the receipt with the driver's name. After two weeks, my husband went to the police station to check on the progress of the investigation. They (the police) were still investigating.
It has been over 5 months and we have yet to get any conclusive reports.
People need to be aware that break-ins DO OCCUR and it is necessary to take any precautions necessary to protect your property.
Wake-up people. This is not a CRIME FREE state.
I am also staying very close to Mamoura trafic police.
The robber wanted to furnish his room I believe. lolz... Now he will be watching all the movies on your 52 inch LCD and listing to the music from your surround system. lolz... Lucky robber. Did not even got cought and enjoying someones electronics.
Peace
Qatar is a safe country to live in. But that doesn't mean there is no crime.
Very rare occurance here actually..when I was in Oman , burglary was very common..but I always considered Qatar as safe..One of my relatives here who lived here 30 years, he lives alone in a villa, his fmaily is back home..and he doesnt even lock the door at night...
...Avada Kedavra..
Thanks for Sharing! Will send to others..
Eating beans is good for you,,,,,it makes you light on your feet and keeps people who(can)smell away!