Police say they are in discussions with the Prosecutor General’s Office to take action against around 1,000 repeat offenders involved in theft and robbery cases.

Speaking at a press conference at Iskandhar Koshi, Superintendent of Police Abdulla Rasheed said robberies are among the most frequently reported crimes in Male’ City. He noted that police have identified two main reasons for the rise in thefts: repeat offenders and crimes of opportunity.

“Nearly 1,000 individuals are involved in most robbery cases,” he said, adding that many incidents involve motorcycle thefts, often due to motorcycles being left unlocked.

Abdulla Rasheed said the presence of repeat offenders on the streets is a key factor contributing to increased thefts. He added that police, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Criminal Court are working together to speed up cases and ensure convicted offenders are quickly sentenced to isolate them from the community.

He said that since last month, police have been compiling a list of repeat offenders. This year, 50 repeat offenders have been arrested and questioned 586 times, while a total of 128 individuals have been arrested and questioned 1,012 times.

Police again urged the public to take precautions, especially by properly locking motorcycles to prevent theft.