afkarali@khaleejtimes.com Filed on May 11, 2018 | Last updated on May 11, 2018 at 07.05 am

The system aims to prevent crimes before they happen.

The Sharjah Police are planning to introduce electronic surveillance system to monitor ATMs located in the emirate's industrial areas.

A top official told Khaleej Times that the new electronic monitoring system will be linked to the police operations room to prevent robberies targeting ATMs located in various industrial areas. The move comes after a number of recent incidents where ATMs located in banks, hypermarkets and other places were targeted by robbers.

According to the official, the system, which will be implemented soon, is aimed at enhancing the security and safety in the emirate and preventing crimes before it happens. The police are making great efforts to use the latest technology in crime prevention, he said, adding that the new electronic monitoring system will meet the highest standards of protection and safety.

The system is part of the police's strategic plan, which also includes intensifying security patrols to enhance police presence in all areas where crime incidents including thefts and robberies happen.

Lt-Col Abdullah Al Alai, director of the Industrial Area police station, said the police carried out a study of security situation to detect and identify practices and behaviours that pose threats to security and public safety in industrial areas.

"It was found that there were a number of robberies occurred recently, which targeted ATMs in industrial areas.

"Based on the study, the police were able to develop security strategies and plans to reduce crimes and negative phenomena by using advanced technology in crime prevention," Lt-Col Al Alai added.

"The Sharjah industrial zones are crowded with large numbers of expatriate workers and under-educated groups of some Asians, Arabs, and Africans, along with a considerable number of illegals and absconders. Some people have taken it as a haven to practise illegal activities and commit crimes. As a result of these situations, industrial zones have been a security concern."

Due to the importance of the industrial zones which attract capital to the country, the police are making significant efforts to ensure its security, he added.

In the coming five years, the police and other authorities would be working on addressing all security issues and challenges in these zones to create a stable environment based on the strategy of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) in combating crimes.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

Inspection campaign

Lt-Col Abdullah Al Alai, director of the Industrial Area police station, said that the police are carrying out an inspection campaign in industrial areas to achieve the strategy of the Ministry of Interior that aims at making the UAE one of the safest countries in the world.

The campaign plan has been put up based on the statistics prepared by specialists in the Sharjah Police's research centre.

He explained that the Sharjah Police are fully aware of their responsibilities and the long-term campaign is part of the police strategy to achieve security.

"Industrial areas police station deals with a complex social situation with the huge number of labourers in the area. This situation forms a great challenge, and to deal with it, we have to intensify the security presence in areas of labourers accommodations," he added.

Al Alai pointed out that the security presence itself is a deterrent to violation of law. "It also strengthens the community partnership through cooperation with the owners of companies, factories and other institutions. We believe that the focus on security education can eliminate many negative behaviours among these groups," he added.