Two Africans steal Dh164,000 from man at bank’s entrance

cctv footage comes to the rescue

DUBAI 19 July 2017: Two visitors allegedly stole a bag containing more than Dh164,000 in daytime from a bank visitor, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

On January 23, at around 11.30am, CS, 33, headed to the bank at Al Quoz area to deposit the cash of amount Dh164,650 and a cheque of Dh6,904 of his employer.

“I stopped the car opposite to the bank. I stepped in to the bank and when I was near it, a man at the entrance said something that I could not hear. In English, I turned to him and asked him what he said… all of a sudden he jumped on the bag and tried to snatch it… I kept on holding the bag and pulling it towards me… he was pulling it so strongly… I remained holding and pulling the bag for some time and until I felt severe pain in my shoulder. He finally snatched the bag and I fell on the floor… I screamed for help but pedestrians did not help… apparently, they did not hear me as my face was down on the street,” testified the victim.

The victim called the police and reported the theft.

Police investigated the compliant and reviewed CCTV at the bank and a petrol station in near it.

Camera footage captured two Africans were waiting at the petrol station. One of them stepped towards the victim when he appeared in the scene.

Footage of the bank’s camera, captured the accused when he was hardly snatching the bag from the victim’s hand.

On January 31, CA, 36, and BA, 33, were arrested in Bur Dubai.

“They were in a car and the resisted their arrest. Large amounts of money were confiscated with them,” testified First Lieutenant Salem Al Shamsi.

The victim was asked by the police to come for identification.

“In identification parades, I recognized my attacker. It was BA who attacked me,” testified CS.

The court will reconvene on July 23.

By Lolyana Zaki