There are over 2,000 surveillance cameras, along with a large presence of police officers, in the holy sites, said Gen. Khidr Al-Zahrani, deputy commander of general security for security affairs and assistant commander of Haj security forces. He added that he expects the problem to drop even more, as the new projects in the holy sites are being fitted with surveillance cameras to monitor crowds.
Cameras have been installed in areas where pickpockets are especially active. The new Mashair Railway has 198 surveillance cameras alone. “Cameras have been installed along the roads between the Grand Mosque all the way to the end of Arafat, in addition to the Mashair Railway,” he said.
He cited the heavy security presence in crowded areas such as the entrances to the Namirah Mosque, the Jamrat area and shops to combat pickpockets.
He added that a number of pickpockets have been arrested in Makkah and the holy sites. “They were a few dozen and were arrested in the crowded areas. They’ve confessed to pickpocketing and will be brought to court,” he said.
“The new projects in Mina have decreased the number of pickpockets because the problem of crowding has been resolved. We will never stop monitoring all sites to ensure the safety of the guests of the two holy mosques,” he said, urging people not to carry valuables with them and to report suspicious activities to the police.
