Saudi Gazette report

DAMMAM — A Saudi woman was caught at King Fahd Causeway while trying to cross into Bahrain illegally using her sister’s national ID.

Little did she realize that fingerprint records would betray her and reveal her true identity, Al-Yaum newspaper reported.

During questioning, the woman claimed that she stole her sister’s identity because she did not have her guardian’s permission to travel. Consequently she was arrested and dealt with according to the passport regulations.

Col. Mola Al-Otaibi, spokesman for the passport department in the Eastern Province, said, “With information stored in the central database, we were able to detect the identity theft. We simply enter vital details of the traveler into the electronic database and the system will generate biometrics matching the person.”

He said fingerprint devices were made available at all entry and exit points to help the employees to do their jobs easily and efficiently.

According to legal consultant Abdullah Obaidan, impersonation is crime punishable by law. An individual can only have one register and one identity, and if he or she doesn’t obey the law the punishment will be six months in prison and a fine of SR10,000.