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Warden Messages

THEFT FROM PARKED VEHICLE

(07/09/2008)

  On Friday, June 27 some time between 1100-1300 hours, unknown perpetrator(s) smashed the window of an expat’s personal vehicle and stole a cell phone from the front seat. The theft took place near Souq Hamidiyya. Upon hearing of the incident, a local shopkeeper commented that several similar thefts from parked vehicles have been reported in the same area on Friday mornings.

  While not frequently reported in Damascus, “smash & grab” thefts are a perennial problem in many large cities around the world. This crime of opportunity is a favorite of unsophisticated criminals as it presents little risk of a confrontation with the car’s owner. The following precautions should help you keep your valuables and vehicle safe:

  • Keep all valuables out of sight. Criminals may be enticed to break into vehicles for items such as sunglasses, CDs, and even visible spare change. By keeping your vehicles clear of any valuables, you remove the incentive to target your car.
  • Lock your car, even if leaving it unattended for a very short period of time. Ensure that all doors are secure and that all windows are up.
  • Whenever possible, park in well-lit, well-trafficked locations instead of isolated or dark areas.
  • When driving in city traffic, keep your windows up and doors locked. For criminals, the next step up from “smash and grab” theft from parked vehicles is the “reach and grab” into an unlocked car in traffic. Make a habit of locking your doors immediately upon entering the car—many "automatic" central locking systems will only engage once the vehicle has reached a certain speed.
  • As always, trust your instincts. If you find a parking space in an area that does not feel quite right, or if you notice people paying undue interest in you and your car, just drive on. Even in Damascus, there will be another space.

  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet website at http://travel.state.gov/, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warning for Syria, and Country Specific Information for Syria can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays)

The U.S. Embassy in Damascus can be reached 24 hours a day at 963-11-3391-4444; the fax number is 963-11-3391-3999. The Embassy’s web site, which includes consular information and the most recent messages to the American community in Damascus, is at http://damascus.usembassy.gov.