Burglars used gas cutters to remove padlocks from shop shutters. (AN photo by Yusuf Al-Dubaisy)

RIYADH, 28 September 2004 — Mursalat Communication Center located in the Al-Rawdah neighborhood of Riyadh has announced an SR20,000 reward to anyone giving information that leads to the arrest of thieves who burgled a number of cell phone shops at the center, Al- Eqtisadiah reported.

Owners of the eight shops at the center have urged police to catch the thieves and recover the stolen goods. They did not rule out the possibility that the theft was an inside job.

Naser Al-Osaimi, a storeowner, said that thieves had burgled his shop and stolen SR35,000 in cash and goods. He said the thieves took away all new equipment.

Naser demanded that the company in charge of security must provide more guards and they must be Saudis because the only security guard at the center was a 65-year-old Sudanese who was found tied with ropes.

Another storeowner said that the burglars had taken away SR15,000 cash and SR 18,000 worth of cell phones from his shop.