The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested two Arab nationals who used 15 fake credit cards and purchased watches, computers, mobile phones and gifts worth QR 75,000 from a number of shops in Qatar.
Acting on a tip from the one of the banks in the country about the fraud, a special investigation team was formed, consisting of experts from the financial crimes section and the cyber crimes investigation centre. As the two men were identified as Arab nationals from the statements of shop salesmen and CCTV recordings where the fraudsters shopped sing fake credit cards.
Through search, investigation and information gathering and inferences about the suspects collected from the details of suspicious transactions, the first suspect was arrested while trying to leave the country, with cooperation of the Airport Security Department. While interrogating the suspect, it became evident that there’s a second person involved in the case, who was later arrested at a hotel after the CID obtained permission from Pubic Prosecution.
The accused were referred to the Public Prosecution along with the seizures for completing the investigation in preparation for trail.
In a country where crime is almost non-existent, when you hear about a crime like this one, it raises eyebrows. The rate of burglaries in Qatar is 25 per 100,000 inhabitants, while the world average is 100 per 100,000 people. The number of documented crimes in Qatar has sky-rocketed in the past decade, according to a report by the Qatar Statistics Authority. The crime rate increased from 320 crimes per 100,000 people in 2001 to 2,355 crimes in 2010, states the 2011 Sustainable Development Indicators report. 
However, Qatar still enjoys one of the world’s lowest crime rates, according to figures released by the general secretariat of the state cabinet. Qatar has set up a number of police forces as precaution. But as the population grows, the crime rate in the country will probably increase. Other than the CID, Lekhwiya and the Police, Al Fazaa maintains vigil on roads and residential areas on a 24-hour basis, provides instant help and prevents crimes.
