Police in Kabul Puncture Car Tires To Deter Thieves

Some residents not fans of the policy

In Kabul, car theft isn't a big problem, but it is a big concern. Security officials fear that militants could use stolen vehicles as car bombs. So the police have turned to a rather controversial tactic to deter thieves.

On a recent evening, a guest left our office only to discover two of his car tires had been punctured. Moments later, my producer discovered two of his tires had been punctured. Both cars were parked on the side of the street in front of our office.

As we quickly found out, there was no point in reporting the vandalism to the police — turns out they were responsible for it.

Nesar Ahmad Abdulrahimzai is the police chief for Kabul's 10th district. He was initially reluctant to discuss the matter, but eventually he agreed to a brief phone conversation.

(H/T Charles WT)