Gang busted for Dhs2 million bank robbery

Motorbike crooks snatched an envelope stuffed with cash from the hands of an unsuspecting victim. Dubai police say they have busted a gang of robbers who staked out a bank then pounced on a customer as he left with Dhs2 million stuffed in an envelope.

The force believes the suspects, all of whom are Arab, are behind a number of other robberies in the UAE in which the same method was used. Officers said that two women would act as lookouts and watch for customers withdrawing large amounts of money.

They would then inform the two male accomplices who would chase after the customer on a motorcycle and snatch the cash out of their hand. In the latest crime, the gang preyed on an Indian accountant at a bank in Deira.

Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan bin Tamim, head of Dubai Police, said: “The latest victim was carrying Dhs2 million for his company in an envelope. They snatched the envelope and fled, but CID officers arrested all of them within seven hours.”

Brigadier Salem Khalifa Al Rumaithy, deputy director of Dubai CID, added: “The victim told us he was walking back to work with a colleague after withdrawing the money. His office was about 1km away.

“A man approached him from behind and snatched the money. The thief then ran and jumped on a motorbike being driven by another gang member and they disappeared.”

The two suspects wore helmets to conceal their identity. Al Rumaithy added that investigations led officers to a flat belonging to one of the women and they found all four suspects inside with the cash.

Al Rumaithy said: “This is the first time we have seen women being involved in such crimes.”

No details of other robberies were released by the force. However, Brigadier Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, head of CID, urged residents to be careful when withdrawing large amounts of cash.

“Many thieves want to get easy cash in this way and customers shouldn’t carry large amounts of money and walk on foot without paying attention,” he said. Undercover policemen monitor banks to prevent such crimes.”

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