National gendarmerie creates a cell to stamp out criminal networks

The national gendarmerie command announced the creation of a cell in charge of the collection of intelligence concerning cars’ thefts as part of a national plan designed to fight against this crime in addition to setting up check points and roving patrols in the regions that witnessed an increasing number of thefts.

•     The national gendarmerie squads all over the country received strict orders to thrash out all pending affairs and centralize all intelligence regarding networks and gangs specialized in cars’ thefts.
•  These services made of this question their” top priority” against the background of suicide bombers’ attacks  with explosive-laden cars after their theft. These measures curbed terror attacks in this domain.
• Surveys carried out by the national gendarmerie communication cell noted that several criminal networks specialized in cars’ thefts operate under the guise of terrorism and set up fake checkpoints to strip citizens of their cars under cover of terrorists armed with weapons of blade and fire arms most of the time wearing hoods.
• Number of treated cases decreased by 375% in  Ain Defla:
• The national gendarmerie services treated some 825 cases of cars’ thefts over last January crowned with the arrest of 17 criminals in comparison with 671 cases over the year 2008 averaging 55 cases a month and the arrest of 162 individuals.
• According to a report, Algiers takes the lead nationwide over the period 2008 with a 2% increase in comparison with 2007, followed by the province of Ouargla (southern Algeria) where most of the stolen cars were four- wheel drive ones prized by thieves because they use them in their contraband activities.
• The province of Oran (western Algeria) registered 40 affairs over the period 2008 and the arrest of 18 individuals, but the tendency declined at a level of 18% thanks to the strict security device deployed by security services.
• The communication cell of the national gendarmerie issued a report mentioning the number 2695 stolen vehicles over an 8 month period last year and 486 vehicles were recovered.