Arresting the New Wave of Crime – Vehicle Thef- in Monrovia and Its Environs

There is no society the world-over that can boast of being crimes-free, even though some have the necessary mechanisms in place from control and prevent. Liberia may not be a separate case, but the necessary control and preventive strategies may be weak, if not lacking among institutions charged with the responsibilities to fight crimes.

Such lack of strategies or weakness may also be attributed to a number of factors to include unfavorable salaries and incentives, poor working environment, as well as unbearable and limited logistics, among others available to state security agencies, most especially the Liberia National Police to man and pursue crimes across Liberia.

While conspiracy/collaboration within the Liberia National police itself may also be an attributing factor, the availability of the better salaries and incentives, workable logistics, as well as other favorable conditions could actually avoid such unfavorable situation that promotes crimes in the Liberian society.

Currently in Liberia, especially Monrovia and its environs, peaceful citizens and residents continue to be at the mercy of hardened and heartless criminals, including armed robbers, with no sign of hope due to the aforementioned factors.

And of late, a new wave of crime is emerging in Monrovia’s streets and commercial communities. Vehicle theft all over the place may now be on the increase at an alarming rate – a situation that must now attract the attention of the Government of Liberia at the highest level.

Reports suggest that on a daily basis, vehicles are stolen by criminals on the streets of Central Monrovia before business centers and during occasions. When stolen, these vehicles are taken to unknown locations, while other reports suggest that they are either sprayed with changes or their engines removed and placed in other vehicles. Those these locations may not be known, fingers are pointed at certain hide-outs in Gardnerville and Bushrod Island.

This is a situation that the government must deal with immediately or else the consequences may just be terrible, especially so when vehicle owners and sympathizers become obsessed and furious over the commission of such crime.

We echoed this latest development as a way of alerting and challenging the government, through the necessary security apparatus, including the Liberia National Police, to ensure the necessary crime control and preventive mechanisms to urgently arrest the situation.