Police arrest gang behind robberies

Dubai: Police arrested a gang of six members who robbed a number of residential apartments in Deira by monitoring the apartments left by their residents for long periods and breaking into them.

Police had received complaints concerning 10 apartments that were robbed. The incidents worried Dubai Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), as they were well-planned.

The gang from Armenian and Russian nationalities, were keeping an eye on the residents, breaking into the apartments using a variety of means that would not rouse the attention of neighbours or guards, and then looting many items, including gold jewellery.

The CID formed a team to follow up the complaints and catch the suspects to prevent more robberies. The CID first intensified patrols and then focused on tracing the suspects by setting up traps at the places expected to be robbed.

Al Rifa'a Police station received the last compliant on October 16 before arresting the gang.

An Indian man S.K. said after he came back from a short vacation back home, he found that the contents of his bedroom has been scattered all over and the suspects had stolen gold jewellery, a laptop and Dh4,000. The strange thing which the victim noticed was that the apartment's door was locked and there was no sign of any forced entry.

Through investigations, the CID team tagged its first suspects of Armenian nationality. Police monitored them and discovered they lived in Sharjah and moved around in a red Mazda vehicle.

On the day in question, they were also seen meeting a woman in Al Baraha area before going to the Al Rifa'a area. Police said two of them exited and lingered around the building before the CID pounced on them. Upon going after the other two, the CID discovered they were using tools used in breaking apartment doors.

Further arrests

The CID then arrested the rest of the group and seized a large amount of jewellery which the gang wanted to get rid of by throwing them under a parked car.

Police also arrested another man in the same area who was part of the gang and was waiting to receive the stolen items.

Four of the arrested suspects were Armenians while one was Russian.

Investigation also led to the arrest of a woman who possessed large amounts of jewellery and had hid them in a villa where she was living with her husband.

The case is now before the Public Prosecution.