Several residents of Kabul’s eighth district are complaining about an increase in armed robberies targeting their homes in recent days. They say thieves are entering homes at night in organized groups and taking residents’ belongings with them. According to these residents, in some cases the thieves have clashed with people inside the homes during robberies and injured them. They emphasize that despite the installation of security cameras and lighting at home entrances, the robberies continue.
These residents tell the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the inability to properly identify the thieves’ faces in security camera footage, the lack of serious follow-up on robbery cases, poverty, unemployment, and the release of some thieves in exchange for money are among the factors that have made it difficult to prevent these incidents. According to residents, in some cases thieves disable security cameras by cutting power lines and use the resulting darkness to carry out robberies. They add that power outages also make it difficult to review camera footage and identify those involved in the robberies. In their view, the continuation of this situation has increased public concern about the security of their homes and belongings.
Samiullah, a resident of Kabul’s eighth district, says nighttime robberies have increased in parts of the district, with thieves entering homes and various areas in groups. He adds that mobile phone theft from people on streets and roads continues during the day as well, and residents are unable to report robbery incidents due to concerns about the security consequences of doing so.
This Kabul resident says: “Despite the security checkpoints in various parts of Kabul, nighttime robberies continue. Thieves enter homes in groups, take power lines and people’s property, and in some cases people’s mobile phones are stolen in broad daylight. People also cannot raise their voices against this situation because they fear for their safety.”
Sediq, another resident of the eighth district, says fear of threats from thieves and the lack of serious follow-up on robbery cases have led some people to refrain from filing complaints against thieves. He adds that in the Shah Shahid, Tapa Nader Khan, Shohada, Salehin, and Qol-e Heshmat Khan areas, robberies occur both day and night, and despite the presence of checkpoints, the Taliban do not conduct mobile night patrols in these areas. According to him, in some cases thieves use darkness for theft by cutting power lines, which also prevents security cameras from recording their images.
This Kabul resident says: “We have installed lights and security cameras to secure our homes, but when the power goes out, we later find out that the thieves cut the power line and took it with them. When we ask the Taliban to review the camera footage, they cite the lack of electricity as an excuse. On the other hand, people are afraid that if they file complaints against thieves, their lives will be put at risk.”
Mir Afghan, another resident of the eighth district, says he has not personally witnessed a robbery in recent days but has heard from friends and acquaintances about bicycle and mobile phone thefts. He adds that weak follow-up on robbery cases and the difficulty of identifying thieves through security camera footage are among the main problems in addressing these incidents. Mir Afghan also claims that in some cases, individuals accused of robbery are released after their arrest as a result of deals made with certain security forces.
This young man says: “The cameras cannot properly identify the thieves’ faces from a distance, and identifying them requires tracking their movements as well, but this process is time-consuming, and no serious follow-up takes place. This trend will continue as long as the thieves are not brought to justice.”
However, robbery incidents in Kabul are not limited to the eighth district alone, and residents of the city’s sixth and thirteenth districts also report similar incidents.
Salima, a resident of Kabul’s Darul Aman area, says robberies in their area have increased in recent days, with thieves targeting people’s property through various methods. She adds that unemployment and economic problems are among the factors that, in her view, have contributed to the rise in robberies.
Salima says: “Robbery has increased a lot recently. Three nights ago, around 9 p.m., a house on our street was also targeted for robbery, but the thieves fled without taking any property after residents noticed them. People are facing economic problems and unemployment, and the living conditions of many families have become difficult.”
Since retaking control of Kabul, the Taliban have repeatedly spoken of establishing “lasting security” throughout Afghanistan, particularly in the capital.
These concerns come as the United Nations Secretary-General said in a recent report that the United Nations recorded 2,947 security-related incidents between May 1 and July 31, an 11 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
افزایش دزدیهای مسلحانه در کابل؛ باشندهگان از ناامنی و بیپناهی ابراز نگرانی میکنند
