Carjackers on the prowl, Cops probing back-to-back incidents of stealing vehicles while car owners worry over increasing number of thefts

Unemployment, lack of awareness, poverty and drugs and alcohol addiction has been cited by activists as some of the motives behind the hike in carjacking rates in the Kingdom lately.

This comes as Tribune was informed about several car thefts in different areas of Bahrain in the past few days, a crime that has become a “dangerous phenomenon” as described by citizens. Two of the incidents were reported in the same area in Hamad Town, near Roundabout 7.

Gathering more views on the growing issue, Tribune spoke to two of the popular faces in Hamad Town, Northern Governorate Municipal Council Chairman Mohammed Buhamood and Social Activist Yaseen Zainal.

Mr Buhamood predicted that the perpetrators were unemployed youth. Explaining further he said that poverty and unemployment have been the motives behind many crimes, adding that “most of the offenders were from the youth category”

Sharing a similar opinion, Mr Zainal attributed the increase in the rates of such crimes to “social circumstances”, mentioning poverty, unemployment and even domestic violence.