Saudi- Construction workers steal building materials

(MENAFN- Arab News) Construction workers of various nationalities working at the King Abdullah Financial Center project have been stealing construction materials worth billions of riyals over the past months.

'The theft of copper sheets worth million of riyals has taken place over the past months and those involved have now been arrested and handed over to the relevant authorities' sources were quoted as saying by the local media.

Workers confessed to stealing copper sheets by first cutting them up inside the buildings and then placing them in their clothing or backpacks or in bags for computers and cellphones in order to pass security checks at the end of the workday. They said the sheets are then sold abroad to gangs specialized in buying and selling copper aluminum and other materials in the black market.

The King Abdullah Financial Center worth about SR28 billion will provide a big boost to the national economy as it was designed to be a leading specialist center for the world's largest financial companies.

More than 25000 workers of various nationalities have been working around the clock in planning architecture engineering and construction to complete all office towers hotels open fields green areas and mosques.

The project is set to be completed by 2020.

Despite progress however sources recently reported that the second largest implementing company in the project responsible for nearly 30 percent of total developments has suspended work after workers failed to receive salaries for four months.

'There is close monitoring by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah who is given monthly progress reports' said Minister of Finance Ibrahim Al-Assa. 'There are no expected delays and the project is on track" he added.

The project includes about 127 investment towers including towers that will house the main headquarters of the Capital Market Authority Tadawul the Financial Academy and other banks companies and investment institutions and entertainment centers.

The project also includes a number of administrative offices housing five-star hotels as well as other buildings for government agencies security authorities and the Civil Defense.