Besides, thefts at commercial outlets dropped by 39.2% while general theft cases fell by 20.4% in the said period, it is learnt.
Brigadier Khalifa Abdulla al-Nuaimi, director-general of the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation (GDCI) at the MoI, stressed that burglaries at residences were not common in Qatar and the culprits were mostly apprehended.
Speaking to the police magazine Al Shurta Ma'ak and quoted by local Arabic daily Arrayah, Brigadier al-Nuaimi said the number of such crimes was “very limited” in the country and the GDCI has a practical strategy in place to arrest those involved, whether they are working individually or through organised gangs.
The directorate works in collaboration with other departments and entities concerned to prevent such crimes from taking place by enhancing public awareness.
The crime rate had dropped for several other types of offences in the above-mentioned period. These included embezzlement, that fell by 80.8%, robbery - 75%, murder - 45.5%, arson – 68% , forgery - 48.3%, stealing from vehicles - 10.3% and vehicle thefts – 1%.
While statistics show that the crime situation is under control, Brigadier al-Nuaimi highlighted the need for developing efforts to monitor the situation and people should also do their bit to protect their possessions and avoid being negligent.
He said the victims often play a key role as crimes sometimes take place due to their negligence and failure to take the necessary precautions to secure and lock their properties and valuables. Accordingly, people have to make sure that their homes are locked properly when they are away. They should also try to give the impression that there is somebody in the house even when the occupants are away.
Besides, people should not leave their vehicles running and unattended - even for a short period - to get something from a grocery or for some other purpose.
Valuables such as jewellery or big sums of money should not be kept in an unattended house or vehicle. Instead, they should be kept locked in a secure place. People should also keep photographs of such valuables as these may come in handy in the event of a theft.
Brigadier al-Nuaimi advised people to come up with a plan to secure their houses while they are travelling. Alternatively, they could contact the nearest police station to inform about their absence if valuables are kept in the house.