Continuing the discussion from Ask The Candidates - BoD Election 5/10/2019:
How to leave your wallet with cash on a busy street unattended. 
While in Dharan, Saudi Arabia, I was walking down the street and noticed a very nice watch lying on the sidewalk. People were deliberately walking around it. I was accompanied by another expat, from Britain, and I asked why this was the case. He said, “No Saudi would ever pick it up for fear of being accused of stealing. If found guilty this would/could result in the amputation of a hand.” I found this absolutely staggering.
“Why doesn’t someone just pick it up and turn it into the authorities or a lost and found somewhere?” I asked. He said, “Sooner or later a cop will find it and pick it up. They will then attempt to find the owner. Sometime someone will report it, but most of the time they won’t”
I found this story unbelievable until I was told about the very public executions held there.
The penalty for drug use/sale/possession is death and they take it very seriously. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Saudi_Arabia. I never wanted to see this, but was told I could if I wanted to.
I guess Saudi’s are very trustworthy, eh?
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This is typical of almost all middle eastern countries according to the people I know who’ve been there for any amount of time.
Sounds like the authorities aren’t trustworthy, if you can’t pick up a lost watch to turn it in without being accused of stealing.
Yeah, I wouldn’t confuse fear with trustworthiness.
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