Bank stalkers seized after several thefts

A man has just emerged out of a bank in Dubai with a bag containing nearly Dh300,000 when a person collapsed in front of him. Moments after he rushed and tried to help him, he discovered that his bag has gone.

The person was among four Ethiopian men targeting bank clients by resorting to that scam before they were captured by the police.

“They focused on crowded areas and we received six reports of thefts involving the same techniques,” said Brigadier Khalil Al Mansoori, director of the criminal investigation department in Dubai.

“They pinched Dh300,000 for one victim and around Dh70,000 from another…all their operations involved the same technique as one of them pretended to be ill and waited for the victim to come and help him…the other members would then swoop on the victim.”

Mansoori told the Arabic language daily Emirat Alyoum that one victim realized they were thieves and grabbed his money but they wrested it out of his hand and fled.

“After investigations, we succeeded in identifying some suspects…we posted patrols near banks and saw four Africans watching clients suspiciously near one bank….once they tried to the same trick, our men were one them.”