Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH – The Saudi Embassy in Ankara has stressed the need by visiting Saudi nationals to ensure safekeeping of their passports and other valuable belongings, especially when they move around crowded public places in Turkish cities.

The embassy has issued the alert after several Saudi men and women have been subjected to pickpocketing in some regions of Turkey. Many of them have lost their passports and money.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the embassy called on Saudi citizens not to hesitate to call the embassy in Ankara or the consulate in Istanbul in case of any emergency.

The Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported quoting informed sources that 165 Saudi passports were stolen in three Turkish tourist spots in the past four months.

The sources said the tourists were targeted in the Istanbul neighborhoods of Taksim, Ortakoy and Besiktas. The tourists said the thefts took place while they were shopping or at restaurants.

Charge d’Affaires at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul Meshary Al-Thyaby told Asharq Al-Awsat that the embassy and consulate were on available around the clock to receive complaints from Saudi nationals.

It revealed that embassy officials would be dispatched to the scene of any reported theft.

The crimes have led to a huge drop in numbers of Saudi tourists in 2019 compared to 2018.

“The thefts and pick-pocketing are not limited to Saudi tourists, but we have heard similar cases among Arab tourists,” Al-Thyaby stated.