An increase in the incidence of rental-vehicle thefts in Oman could be stemmed through the installation of GPS systems in all cars, according to the Royal Oman Police (ROP). Installation of the tracking devices would help the authorities to trace vehicles taken from rental firms before they crossed the border into neighbouring countries, according to the ROP.

ROP Director-General of Criminal Investigation, Brigadier Suhail bin Amor, said that car hire firms could also assist the police by collecting relevant data from those renting vehicles and sharing it with a new action team which has been established to tackle the problem of an increase in vehicle thefts.

Amor also urged those who had rented vehicles to do more to ensure that their cars remained safe. He said it was important for people always to remember to lock their cars when they left them, even for a short period of time. He added that the engine should never be left running and that vehicles should not be parked in deserted areas. He also urged customers to keep all valuables in their possession.

Amor said that there were a number of ways in which criminals were targeting cars owned by rental companies and leasing firms. He described how buyers would supply firms with post-dated cheques, ship the cars abroad, and when the buyer came to try and cash the cheque he or she would find that the bank account of the customer was empty.

The new team at the ROP has been set up to coordinate with the authorities in foreign countries to combat the rise in rental-car thefts.