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Join on Telegram Alsa Al Baida, the company managing the bus network in Casablanca, has warned of prosecution vandals who destroy its vehicles.
“We will prosecute [vandals] in the name of all Casablanca residents,” Mehdi Safouane, the director-general of Alsa Al Baida, told 2M.
“All vandals get caught in less than 24 hours after their acts,” he warned. “Security services are doing a great job.”
The cameras and communication tools equipped in the buses allow for documenting and quickly responding to vandalism incidents, he explained.
The warning came after several minors threw stones at brand new buses, destroying the glass windows of at least nine vehicles only a few days after they became operational.
Several videos and photos shared on social networks documented the acts of vandalism, showing shattered glass windows that threaten the safety of citizens.
Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) has so far announced the arrest of two suspects, aged 16 and 17, for vandalizing the buses.
Read also: Teenagers Welcome New Casablanca Buses With Acts of Vandalism
Some Casablanca residents who spoke to the press are calling for severe punishment to deter youngsters from such irresponsible behaviors.
“The vandals are destroying the buses of Casablanca residents. The buses do not belong to Alsa. We consider them as a property of all Casablanca inhabitants,” Safouane commented on the incidents.
Suspects arrested for vandalism can face a sentence of up to three years in prison, according to Morocco’s penal code.
Alsa Al Baida hopes that the severe punishment would discourage vandals from aggressing buses in the future.
The vandalism acts occurred only a few days after the company launched a new 450-vehicle bus fleet. The fleet will gradually expand until it reaches 700 vehicles by the end of 2021.
Casablanca residents hope the new bus fleet will solve their decades-long public transportation issues. However, unless the city addresses the recurring acts of vandalism, the bus network will not be able to provide optimal services for citizens.
