Seconds are all it takes to complete his crime. It may be a moment of distraction or negligence that does not last long, but its consequences are great and painful, requiring days and days to recover.

The warnings issued by the security services from time to time against leaving vehicles running to prevent thieves from stealing them have not been successful. The security services have warned more than once that leaving the car running may be exploited by thieves, who need only fractions of a minute to drive the vehicle into the unknown and may use it in larger crimes that place the responsibility on its owner.

Security expert Major General (retired) Masoud Al-Adwani warns that laxity and negligence in leaving vehicles running with the buttons unlocked could cost their owners dearly. He explains that vehicle thieves need only a few seconds to complete the theft, and the vehicle owner may see his actions as harmless, as he may get out of the vehicle to buy a specific item or stand near it without knowing that there are eyes monitoring what is happening around it. This is what investigations into theft incidents previously handled by the security services revealed.

Their presence does not prevent crime

Retired Major General Al-Adwani says: Based on investigations and incidents recorded at police stations, it is clear that most thefts occur in front of grocery stores and near fixed ATMs that require the person to get out of the car. He stressed that the thefts are carried out in fractions of a minute and may not exceed 10 seconds.

He explained that the theft process may endanger the car owner if he tries to stop the thief or clings to the car in the hope of preventing him from stealing. Therefore, it is a big mistake to leave the car running with a woman or children inside, as their presence does not prevent the thief from carrying out his crime. Therefore, it must be locked properly and any opportunity for weak-willed people must be missed. If the driver of the vehicle is alone inside it, it must be turned off and not left running.

Punish them and double the punishment

Retired Major General Misfer Al-Jaid believes that the most important reasons for vehicle theft are the actions of their owners in facilitating the theft process by leaving the car running with the key inside and going down to the store, without locking the doors, under the pretext that he is only going down for a few seconds and does not want to turn it off because of the air conditioner or any other excuse.

Al-Juaid hoped to increase the penalty for leaving a car running, and in case of repetition the penalty would be doubled. He recommended that parents raise security awareness among their children and drivers about the dangers of leaving a car running, and called on all citizens and residents to raise their security awareness and increase their interest in safety measures that limit the process of car theft.

The victims in a hurry!

Abdullah Al-Harbi recounts the story of his car theft, which occurred in just 12 seconds. He said, "I got out of my car to buy a drink, unaware that someone was watching the area. As soon as I stepped out, he drove off. The entire theft was captured on video. The moment I walked through the store door, the thief reached the trunk. He was calm and tried to open the unlocked door, giving him the opportunity to drive away. His stolen car was later recovered, severely damaged, as the thief had used it for drifting, costing him a lot of money to repair.".

Al-Harbi expressed his regret for his actions, saying, "It was a painful experience and a lesson for me." Naif Al-Thaqafi recounted how a thief stole his car: "I was watching my vehicle and saw him walking calmly beside it. I didn't expect him to be a thief. He jumped onto it in seconds, and I tried to chase him, but he was faster.".

Al-Thaqafi confirmed that the relevant authorities investigated the case and acknowledged my negligence, which was the main reason for the theft. He pointed out that he recovered the car hours later after losing all its contents, and the thief was later apprehended.

Videos expose the thieves

A video has surfaced showing a shocking incident in Dammam where a car owner was stunned to see his vehicle stolen right before his eyes, with several people nearby. The video shows a car parked in front of a workshop where a worker is performing engine maintenance. Suddenly, a thief sneaks into the vehicle, reverses it, and drives away. The owner tries to chase him, but the thief escapes quickly, even though the hood is open. Dammam police later confirmed the arrest of the perpetrator and that he has been brought to justice.

In Jeddah, a video surfaced showing a thief stealing a running car from in front of a grocery store. The video shows the thief circling the vehicle to ensure the owner was absent and no one was passing by to stop him, before driving off. Jeddah police also arrested a Chadian resident and two Saudi citizens for stealing five running vehicles, which were subsequently recovered.

Public Security explained that the accused were arrested, the necessary legal procedures were taken against them, and they were referred to the Public Prosecution.

Earlier, someone stole a car from in front of a shop in one of the eastern neighborhoods of Riyadh. The owner had left it running, and after the thief got into the car, he was surprised when the owner arrived quickly and opened the door to stop him. However, the car owner was run over, while the thief fled.

Jeddah police announced the arrest of a citizen in his thirties on charges of stealing vehicles left running by their owners. The accused confessed during the investigation to stealing three vehicles.

Traffic authorities issue warnings and alerts

The General Directorate of Traffic has warned against leaving a vehicle unlocked and running after exiting it, noting that this constitutes a traffic violation. It emphasized that leaving a vehicle unlocked and running after exiting it is a traffic violation listed in Schedule of Violations No. (1), and the fine for this violation ranges between 100 and 150 riyals. The Directorate explained that the justification for the penalty is that leaving the car running is negligence on the part of the driver, which warrants a fine.

Follow the rules

The Ministry of Interior warned against the dangers of leaving the car engine running and getting out of it, even for a short time, stressing that this is a violation of traffic safety rules and may endanger the lives of the driver and others.

The ministry explained that leaving a car running could tempt thieves to steal it, especially if the keys are inside. It could also lead to traffic accidents, particularly if the car moves accidentally or is struck by a pedestrian.

The ministry urged all drivers to abide by traffic safety rules and to turn off the car engine before getting out of it for any reason, in order to preserve their safety and the safety of others.

General safety guidelines include putting the vehicle in Park (P) before exiting it, ensuring all doors and windows are properly closed, not leaving any valuables visible inside the vehicle, and parking in a well-lit and busy area whenever possible.

A crime warranting arrest

The Public Prosecution affirmed that car theft is a major crime warranting arrest. It added that the right to vehicle ownership is protected by Sharia and the legal system, and is afforded criminal protection. This protection extends to the vehicle, every part of it, and everything inside it. Violating this right warrants criminal prosecution, and such acts are considered major crimes requiring arrest.

The Public Prosecution stated that, accordingly, anyone who steals a car or part of it, or steals what is inside it, will be detained even if one of the conditions of (theft with a fixed penalty) is not met.

When is compensation due for the stolen item?

Lawyer and legal consultant Majid Al-Ahmari revealed that the vehicle thief is subject to the private right of the vehicle owner in the event of a claim for compensation for damages that may have been inflicted on the vehicle during the theft.

He pointed out that the punishment for theft is between the Hadd punishment and the discretionary punishment for theft. If the elements and conditions of the Hadd punishment for theft are met in the crime of stealing a car, then the prescribed punishment will be, according to the provisions of Sharia, cutting off the hand of the thief. If the conditions of the Hadd punishment for theft are not met in the crime, then the punishment will be discretionary, which is up to the criminal judge looking into the case, and it consists of imprisonment, flogging, or a fine, or all of these punishments together, or two of them.

Lawyer Al-Ahmari explained that the owner of the stolen vehicle has the right to compensation for any damages that may have been inflicted on his vehicle, and he has the right to claim his private right and prove the damage that the vehicle suffered as a result of the theft. He also has the right to compensation for the value of the car if it was involved in an accident and was damaged as a result of its theft. He also has the right to compensation for all the costs he incurs to repair and rehabilitate it after it was stolen. He also has the right to compensation for the loss or lost profit as a result of the theft of the car and its remaining in the possession of the thief for a certain period of time, especially if that car is a working and productive vehicle such as transport vehicles or taxis. He must submit all the necessary documents and papers to obtain compensation according to the type of compensation stipulated.