Advertisement

Suspected Pink Panther gang member arrested after Dhs1.4m Dubai robbery

A duo - one a suspected Pink Panther gang member - arrested in Dubai after Dhs1.4 million theft
A duo - one a suspected Pink Panther gang member - arrested in Dubai after Dhs1.4 million theft

A suspected member of the infamous Pink Panthers crime gang has been arrested by Dubai Police.

Yuri Harris, 53 (left), is one of two British men detained over a Dhs1.4 million robbery outside a bank in Dubai. General Expert Khamis Mattar Al Muzaina, head of Dubai Police, said the incident happened on Sunday morning on Bani Yas Road after two Indian men had cashed three cheques worth Dhs1.43 million. One of the men went into the bank and put the cash in a black bag. He returned to the car where his friend was waiting and put the bag on the backseat.

He said a man claiming to be a CID officer then knocked on the window and said they were parked illegally. The man said he was going to write a ticket and asked them to step out the car.

After they got out, a passer-by yelled that someone else had opened the car door and stolen their bag. The supposed cop fled and the two Indian men and the Pakistani witness chased after him and restrained him before calling the police, Al Muzaina said.

Officers arrested the suspect, who has been named as Steven Oliver, 49, and dozens of policemen swept the area for his suspected accomplice, who had fled with the cash.

“Within less than 24 hours, we received information that the second thief, called Yuri Harris, was seen behind Crowne Plaza hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. We arrested him and found the money in his luggage. He was planning to leave the country,” said Al Muzaina.

He added Harris said during interviews the pair had visited the UAE many times and noticed people shopping and visiting banks carried large amounts of cash.

“They said that it’s not common in their home country to see people with lots of cash so they planned their crime,” Al Muzaina added. “They are professional thieves that have a long criminal record going back 30 years.”

The force said Harris earned more than £500,000 (Dhs3 million) a year from robberies and was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2010, although he was released early. UK media reported that he is a member of Pink Panthers gang, named after the cartoon character. The gang are responsible for heists across the world, including one at Wafi mall in Dubai in 2007.

“I want to tell the Pink Panthers that it’s better for them to stay away from Dubai as we have the ability to arrest them and foil their crimes,” said Al Muzaina.

ali.shouk@7days.ae

‘Pink Panther’ Wafi heist suspect is arrested in Spain

Prosecutors: Gang posed as policemen to kidnap, rob duo of Dhs1 million

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram