Manama: Kuwait's security has arrested a six-member Russian gang that specialized in stealing jewelry and valuables from villas and jewelry shops in the country.
The gang, which includes two women, has reportedly stolen gold worth over KD 1 million ($3,634,910) over the last four years.
Its modus operandi included arriving Kuwait on visit visas in summer, breaking into rich villas and escaping out of the country with the loot. However, the ringleader has not been arrested, Kuwaiti daily Arab Times reported.
According to sources cited by the newspapers, officials have noticed that thefts from villas in the Capital and Hawalli governorates had increased and that the thieves were using advanced ways to open safes.
One official said that money and gold worth KD 200,000 ($727,000) was stolen over the last two months.
Securitymen intensified investigations and arrested a Russian national of Armenian origin who was involved in a case in 2007 and who admitted that he was part of a gang that specialized in stealing jewelry.
The suspect said that he comes to Kuwait along with the others every year on a commercial visit visa sponsored by a hotel.
Securitymen arrested the suspect's wife and the couple gave information about the other four members of their gang, including another woman. All of them are believed to be of Armenian origin.
The members said they smuggled the jewelry out the country to the seventh suspect.
