Surveillance Cameras May Be Installed on Public Transport

The Prosecutor's Office of Yerevan's Kentron and Norq Marash administrative districts has investigated and summarized the trends of theft cases reported in 2018. This was reported by the Public Relations Department of the RA General Prosecutor's Office.

It has been recorded that cases of personal property theft in these districts have increased by 32.4%. Specifically, a total of 1,120 theft cases were reported, compared to 849 in the previous year, indicating a rise of 31.9%. The detection rate stood at 32.2%.

To identify the causes behind the increase in theft cases, an analysis conducted by the Prosecutor's Office revealed that a significant portion of the reported incidents, approximately 30-35%, occurred on public transport, particularly in minibuses, where citizens' wallets, mobile phones, and other belongings were secretly stolen.

Although the stolen items are not of high value in most cases, the more concerning aspect is that victims often include representatives of socially vulnerable groups who utilize public transport and individuals with lower incomes, for whom such losses are more pronounced. Furthermore, it was found that most victims are foreign citizens, and each reported case of crime negatively impacts the country's tourism image and its overall development.

Given these considerations and acknowledging that pickpocketing is also reported in other administrative districts of the capital, the Prosecutor of the Kentron and Norq Marash districts submitted a petition to the Yerevan Mayor, suggesting the installation of surveillance cameras on public transport and warning signs regarding the safeguarding of personal belongings, as feasible.

The Yerevan Municipality responded that a circular has been sent to companies servicing intracity routes, urging them to install surveillance cameras in transport vehicles where possible and to set up warning signs about personal belongings within a 10-day timeframe.