Police recently apprehended a man in his 20s for stealing a car from a citizen, only to learn that the suspect had stolen several cars and changed their exteriors to get away with his crimes.
Police followed the car thief after receiving a tip-off from a citizen and arrested him as he was purchasing accessories for a stolen car in the Naseem district east of the capital.
On arrest, police found keys for several cars inside the stolen Caprice, as well as tools used to open closed vehicles.
The thief would revamp the stolen cars so that they are not identifiable by their owners, and also changed their license plates.
According to police reports, car thefts in Jeddah are rising at an alarming rate.
“More than 1,000 cars have been stolen in the past three months. Some of them had valuables inside them at the time they were stolen,” said Lt. Nawaf Al-Bouq, Jeddah police spokesman.
“Police have managed to track down only 400 stolen cars so far,” he added.
Figures are based on registered complaints made with Jeddah police over the past three months.
Al-Bouq urged car owners to take precautionary measures to guard against robbery and ensure that their cars are properly locked.
He added that most thefts took place in older and poorer neighborhoods, such as Baghdadiah, Sharafiah, Saheefa and Ruwais, all illegal expat strongholds.
According to Yallamotors, a website on automobiles, more than 9,100 vehicles were reported stolen in 2013 from various parts of the country.
Among these, more than 4,200 vehicles were returned to their respective owners.
Riyadh ranks first for vehicle theft, with almost 4,000 cases, followed by Makkah, with more than 2,600 vehicles reported stolen.
Cars are most commonly stolen by duplicating car keys without drivers’ knowledge.
Thieves often pose as garage employees, security officials or even hotel drivers.
Further investigation is underway into the thefts and the most recent suspect will appear in court upon completion of procedures. Most crimes in the Kingdom are committed by illegal residents who have overstayed their visas, according to sources.
The government has since intensified the campaign against over-stayers. Illegal residents were allowed to leave the Kingdom without incurring penalties during the grace period, which ended Nov. 3, 2013.
Car thief apprehended in Riyadh
Car thief apprehended in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia witnessing comprehensive cultural development, says expert
- Clotilde Entrecanales of Acciona hails pace of change in Kingdom
JEDDAH: Museums, exhibitions and art centers play a crucial role in the development of free and educated societies such as the one now burgeoning in Saudi Arabia, an expert has told Arab News.
Clotilde Entrecanales, the Spanish art historian and cultural executive who heads Acciona Living & Culture, a leading creator of technology-driven interactive museums, exhibits and events, said the Kingdom is making efforts to expand the role of culture development to show the world the greatest possible cultural offer.
She added that the Kingdom has quickly infused new energy into the region, and is rapidly establishing itself as a global cultural hub through massive investment in world-class museums, public art and international events, aligning with its 2030 vision.
She said: “With around 70 percent of the population under 30, cultural consumption looks very different than in Europe or the US. These spaces can’t feel like quiet, isolated institutions … they need to be fast, dynamic, brave and deeply connected to the city, blending into everyday urban life rather than sitting apart from it.”
Asked about the role of these sites in the evolving global cultural landscape, particularly in emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, Entrecanales said: “Our vision is to be a purpose-led partner for cultural and entertainment institutions, helping them be more relevant, connected, inclusive and sustainable.”
She added: “In emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, that approach feels especially relevant. The cultural transformation underway is moving fast — with major heritage and cultural destinations being developed and opened to the world.”
Speaking about her impression of the Kingdom’s approach to blending heritage with modernity face, Entrecanales said: “Others who attempt to achieve this balance often end up turning heritage into a theme, a layer of storytelling or a cultural program. What feels different about Saudi’s approach is how much pressure there is to treat heritage as the foundation, not just the surface.
“When you’re building at this speed and scale, there’s always a risk that history becomes a backdrop instead of a backbone. The projects that work best are the ones that slow down just enough to let the past set the rhythm for the present.”
Regarding opportunities and challenges, she said: “The opportunity is nothing less than positioning Saudi Arabia as a global cultural center. The challenge, as always, lies in balancing the speed and scale of that ambition with long-term sustainability and a sense of authenticity that remains credible and rooted.”
She added: “You can really feel this in places like the Islamic Arts Biennale, which shows hundreds of historical artefacts of the Islamic world, while re-framing them through contemporary scenography and designs by some of the best design studios in the world; or in AlUla, a world-class heritage site that hosts a major contemporary platform like Desert X, allowing ancient context and present-day artistic practice to coexist in a way that feels genuine.”
Under her guidance, ACCIONA Cultura aspires to create museums and cultural experiences that function as landmarks while fostering sustainable, inclusive and immersive interactions.
She elaborated on how the company is integrating technology, culture, and sustainability to preserve and promote the region’s cultural heritage: “We always start with human connection and storytelling: what’s the story, what should people leave with? Tech comes later.”
Recently, ACCIONA Cultura has been involved in significant projects in Saudi Arabia and is looking forward for more.
She said: “Right now, for example, we’re designing and curating a museum gallery where the entire space is shaped by the practice of a Saudi artist. Another example is the Net Zero exhibition at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), where we brought together Saudi and international artists to explore sustainability and our relationship with the planet, including voices like Dina Haddadin, Mohammed Al-Faraj, and Zahrah Al-Ghamdi.”
She added: “One of the projects I’m most proud of isn’t a museum, but our NEXT IN Summit, which we’ve hosted in two editions in our ACCIONA Campus in Madrid, highlighting the Kingdom’s unprecedented cultural momentum as it builds future-facing institutions with a startup mindset.”
About further collaboration with Saudi Arabia, she said: “Let’s just say … something’s definitely simmering in the kitchen.”
Commenting on being recognized among the Blooloop 50 Museum Influencers for 2025, she said: “It means a lot. More than anything, it feels like a nod to the years of teamwork and dedication behind Acciona Cultura, rather than to me personally.”
