Anxious gold traders are pleading for a new rule that makes it mandatory for anyone entering stores to remove their face mask for a few seconds to allow security cameras to capture their full face.
The call comes after a gold shop in Riffa was robbed by a person wearing a face mask on Tuesday night.
Shaheen Jewellers owner Bassam Othman told the GDN yesterday that he has filed a police complaint and requested more patrols near gold stores located in the country.
“A man wearing a face mask and a blue shirt walked into our store on Tuesday night and asked to see some bridal sets,” said Mr Othman.
“He then rushed out of the shop with three sets worth BD3,000 and fled from the scene in his car.”
The Syrian owner said he tried to stop the man, but his efforts were in vain.
Masks
After reporting the incident to police, Mr Othman urged for a new rule to be introduced regarding the wearing of face masks inside gold stores, allowing for the current guidelines introduced to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19 to be modified.
“What is the point of security cameras when everyone is wearing a face mask due to the pandemic?” asked Mr Othman.
“There should be a system in place where every person who enters has to pull down their mask for few seconds for surveillance cameras to capture their face.”
The suggestion has been welcomed by GCC Gold, Pearls and Jewellery Association treasurer Mohammed Malim. “I think this is a good point that we will raise with the authorities because wearing a face mask is mandatory during the pandemic but the security of gold traders should not be compromised,” he said.
This was the second incident of theft from Shaheen Jewellers this year. A man took off with a 75g gold bridal set and left the country without paying after duping other gold traders too.
Gold smuggling has also been in the headlines in recent weeks.
Concerns
Mr Malim expressed concerns over a report that eight Asians had been arrested at Bahrain International Airport with 16 gold bars worth BD43,000 allegedly hidden in their luggage.
And, Indian customs officials have seized gold from several passengers arriving via Dubai, Sharjah and Jeddah who have been arrested trying to smuggle it hidden in masks, slippers, concealed in their socks, umbrellas, pressure cookers, adapters and their undergarments.
The Indian media reported in June that customs officials at Kochi Airport, in Kerala, arrested a woman with nearly 250g of gold, worth more than BD5,000, that was hidden inside her underwear.
She had reportedly flown in on a chartered flight from Bahrain.
Authorities in India suspect her of being part of a gold smuggling racket.
Gold smuggling in India has been on the rise over the last few years after the government imposed customs duty on gold imports.
According to Indian government data, three of the four international airports in Kerala – Kozhikode, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram – were on a list of the Top 10 airports in which smuggled gold had been seized.
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