Knowing that every ATM in Lebanon has a security camera attached to it, they could have at least identified the criminal and surrounded him quickly and probably arrested him if they wanted to, but the district attorney could not be bothered as he was finishing Iftar. It’s all about priorities after all.
Three weeks ago, my car window was smashed and my belongings stolen while I was at the beach in Batroun. Horrified as I was, I decided to go to the Batroun police station to file a complaint.
My aim was to have a written report not to have my possessions returned (for I had no faith in having any of the stuff back), but I simply wanted to facilitate the process of having to reapply for a new ID and a driver’s license at the local Serail.
I will spare you the boring details, but suffice to say that my idea of the police was an archaic and inefficient institution could not have been any truer. The first thing the policeman (whom I shall not name) asked me was: “You came all the way from your town [Saida] to our town to swim? Don’t you have beaches in Saida?â€
Naturally, I wanted to tell him we’re still in the same country; that I was free to go wherever I liked; that we should get over the sectarian mentality, but I didn’t. I wanted to get the report and be done with it. The number of useless questions the policeman proceeded to ask were many, most notably whether or not my male friend (who was nice enough to come with me to the police station) was with me at the beach and whether or not he’s Lebanese, which he wasn’t.
After refusing to give me a copy of the report (because apparently procedures state that a report of theft must remain open for 48 hours), we were left in a room for two hours. The policeman later explained that we were waiting for the district attorney to finish his Iftar so as to figure out how to proceed.
During our wait, my sister was able to figure out that my credit card (which was reported stolen at that time) was used in Shakka at 5:30 p.m. at the BLC ATM machine. Thrilled, I ran back into the building to inform the police officer of my findings and to have him add that to the report. He didn’t.
He later acknowledged that there is no way for them to find the thieves, and that “anyway, we’re in Batroun and they’re in Shakka. We have no authority there.†So the police in Batroun doesn’t coordinate with the police in Shakka?! I was dumbfounded.
By 9:00 p.m., the policeman took pity on us and said I should come back in three days to pick up a copy of my report and to bring him copies of the car license, since he couldn’t find a place to photocopy my documents. They didn’t even have a photocopy machine, a thing they probably need every day. Argh.
I left frustrated and angry. Very angry. I had never set a foot inside a police station until that day due to my own presumptions. Yet when I turned to the police, I was proven right. The incident was the last straw, and as I marched out of the police station, I heard a little voice in my head say: “It’s time to leave. This is no longer home.†[NowLebanon]
the country us rotten corrupt and bankrupt, it should be offered up for auction, maybe some interested country would buy it and try to salvage what’s left of it
and you believe some country will bid on Lebanon?
but how did they knew the pin code of the credit card?
They stole her belongings. Pin could be in her bag or something I guess.
when you get your pin the bank tells you to memorize it and to destroy the paper that got the pin on it
this part was her fault but the police shoud have been more helpful
Once i parked the car at ramlet el bayda beach front and went for a stroll. When i came back my stuff was stolen. I saw a guy that was sitting there when i arrived abd was still there so logically it was either him or he saw what happened. I went up to him and asked, he denied akid so i left to the police station and told them about it and the guy who was syrian. Kong story short, the officer told me in a straight face lets just go there and grab any syrian and beat him up…. Then 2 days later called me again to ask me out!!!
what’s that? A bollywood movie?
Hi Maha, shu 3amle l layle?!? Hahahahahaha…
Few years ago, my sister’s handbag was snatched by a biker (for the second time, by the way). The next day, while she was on the street, a black BMW in bad shape passed by, and a guy inside it said to her: “you don’t dare to carry a handbag anymore?” and the car speeded away. My sister started yelling at them. An old man, who was standing there, said to my sister that the car’s license plate starts with 9.
Armed with those “valuable” information (black BMW in bad shape with license plate starting with 9), we went to the police station to report. When we told them the story, believing that we gave them enough data to track the guys, the officer said: “we don’t know if the 9 starts from the left side or the right side of the plate”. (jaw drop) Needless to say, nothing happened.
My sister went to Ma’7far Hbeish because someone stole her purse and she trying to explain to them what a USB is while the cop was writing the “ma7dar” by hand and it was such a funny story.
After a year she got her new ID too.
Boy oh boy.. Lebanon sounds like such a safe and wonderful place to visit..
This Shit happens everywere in the world and even worse
Did you even hear about the empire state building shooting
Police not doing their basic job to protect citizens and follow proper protocol happens in every modern and civilized countries?
here’s a dark idea: a booby trapped handbag/purse. that ought to teach those petty thieves for good. the bait purse can either contain a little bomb, or a few poisonous scorpions or a smelly bomb for a joke, or perhaps some gas that will knock out anyone near the purse when it is opened together with a satellite tracking device, a combination that will give the victim (the owner of the purse) time to go with the police to retrieve the purse
Nothing shocking in this story and it was expected that policemen in Lebanon are useless… that s sooo shameful …