The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces - Public Relations Division issued a statement today, Wednesday, indicating: "As a result of the ongoing monitoring by the Internal Security Forces to curb theft operations in various Lebanese regions, the Information Branch received data about unknown individuals renting cars from rental companies within Beirut and Mount Lebanon using forged identity cards. They later stole these cars and smuggled them out of Lebanese territory.
Following this, the Information Branch was tasked with conducting field investigations at the sites of these operations to identify and arrest the gang members. As a result of the investigations and research, the identities of the gang members were determined, including:
- K.N.D. (born in 2005, Lebanese)
- A.M.S. (born in 1997, Lebanese)
On 08/12/2023, after precise surveillance, one of the division's patrols managed to arrest them in the Unesco area while they were attempting to rent a car from one of the companies with the intention of stealing it. Upon searching them, a forged identity card and driver's license were found in the possession of the second individual.
During the investigation, they confessed to forming a gang targeting car rental companies. They admitted to committing several car thefts fraudulently within Beirut and Mount Lebanon by using forged identity cards and driver's licenses, the latest of which occurred in the Ain El-Mreisseh and Furn El Chebbak areas. They also confessed that at the time of their arrest, they were about to execute another car theft. They added that they would transport the stolen car to the town of Hermel and hand it over to their partner, who is currently being pursued, and who in turn smuggles it into Syrian territory to sell it.
Legal proceedings were initiated against them, and they, along with the seized items, were referred to the competent authority based on judicial instructions."
