DUBAI 22 August 2017: A money van guard – with the help of five other guards – stole Dh1.2 million from their employer’s vehicle and fled the scene.
The Dubai Criminal Court is expected to give its verdict tomorrow.
All six security guards were Sri Lankan. One of them was on duty, guarding the van.
Two other countrymen SB, 23 and DS, 30, fugitives, are accused of assisting some of the accused in transferring amounts to their country by giving them their ID cards.
AR, 26, agreed with his co-workers, RB, 27, AS, 39, KD, 26, SK, 22 and RH, 39 to rob the vehicle he was working with.
The six set a firm plan to enable AR to rob the money from the vehicle without drawing the attention of AR’s companion in the vehicle and then to divide the amount and hide.
On May 6, AR went with his Pakistani colleague NK and the driver of the money transport vehicle KA, and collected more than Dh1 million in different currencies from Zoom branches at petrol stations and different locations in the emirate.
Timed Operation
AR was informing via ‘Imo’ his accomplices, who are also his colleague and worked on other money transport vehicles, about their movement and instructed them to move at the right time to be waiting for him at the targeted station.
At around 1pm, AR and his Pakistani colleague, reached to the Metro station at Deira City Centre to collect money from Zoom in the station.
After getting into Zoom to collect money, AR told his Pakistani colleague that he needs to go to the toilet and asked him to collect the money himself.
At this time, his accomplices RB and KD got into Zoom and started talking to the Pakistani in an attempt to distract his attention so he would not notice that AR headed to the car instead of going to the toilet.
The other accomplices were outside some were watching the scene and observing the movement of AR.
No Suspicion
AR went to the vehicle and asked the driver to open the door of the back safe to pick empty sacks to put money in.
The driver did not suspect anything and trusting, AR, he opened the safe to him using a button inside the car.
Instead of taking empty sacks, AR, stole 12 sacks that contained the collected amounts on that day.
AR stepped into the station with the sacks in his hands and met his accomplices before they all ran away and vanished from the scene in two taxis.
They headed to Al Sajaa area in Sharjah where they had leased a room.
They changed their dress and divided the Dh1,192,090 equally among them after deducing Dh140,000 for their expenses. Each one got Dh160,000.
After that all headed to Jebel Ali from where they separated.
The Pakistani realized that he was fooled by his colleague after waiting for him to return from the toilet.
He then learnt from the driver that AR had taken sacks from the car’s safe. He discovered the theft and informed his employer and then the police.
Police reviewed footage of CCTV and identified his partners in the crime.
Arrested Mastermind
Police arrested AR in Sharjah and confiscated in his possession Dh181,900 some of which were the share of his accomplice KD. He told police that he spent Dh5,000 from his share.
RB told the police that he had transferred Dh10,000 to his home country using an ID card of a cleaner.
Police confiscated with RB Dh255,000, some of which belonged to one of his friends. Police also confiscated from him SR976, Omani Riyal 118, Qatari Riyal 1190, and US$740.
Police confiscated with AS Dh122,000 and stopped the transfer of Dh13,000 he did using the cleaners’ ID.
KD transferred Dh22,000 to his home country through different money exchange companies and using the cleaners’ ID. Dh65,000 were confiscated with him.
Police confiscated Dh168,000 and Dh8,000 that was handed over to him by his friend.
TH told the police that he spend Dh4,000 and handed over Dh156,000.
The court will give verdict on August 22.
By Lolyana Zaki