UAE | Crime
Wafi robbery arrests
Police are hunting for other suspects involved in the robbery of a jewellery store in Wafi City following three arrests, the Dubai Police Chief revealed.
- By Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 April 30, 2007
- Image Credit: Devadasan/Gulf News
- The jewellery stolen from the Graff store in the Wafi City shopping centre. Police said the jewellery worth Dh14,780,000 was returned to the owner.
Dubai: Police are hunting for other suspects involved in the robbery of a jewellery store in Wafi City following three arrests, the Dubai Police Chief revealed yesterday.
Police arrested the three suspects, two in the UAE and one in an East European country, for their involvement in the raid on the Graff store on April 15. In a daring robbery, men burst into the store in two cars and grabbed the jewellery.
Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim told a press conference yesterday that police had foiled the escape of the gang that robbed the Graff store, recovered and returned the stolen diamonds to the owner and arrested the masterminds behind the robbery. He said the stolen jewellery was worth Dh14,780,000. "The stolen jewellery can be held in one palm," he said.
Highly skilled robbers
Lt Gen Dahi said one of the three suspects arrested provided logistical support to the gang. Another suspect, who was arrested on Saturday with the jewellery, was described as the leader. He was assigned to leave the country with the jewellery, which was found in a rented car upon his arrest. The gang had carried out more than 100 operations in Europe and was highly skilled and organised.
"I have previously said the robbers stole one minute of our time, but they did not and will not steal Dubai Police's professionalism. This professionalism along with police tactics are smarter than any criminal.
"A criminal's success is temporary because he will not get away with his crime but will be arrested against his will," said Lt Gen Dahi.
"In Dubai, it is our inheritance that anyone who comes to corrupt our country and leaves, we follow them to the farthest point of life."
TIMELINE
A daring robbery in the heart of city
April 15: Men believed to be armed, burst into Graff jewellery store in Wafi City in two cars and made off with a big amount of jewellery at 9:30pm.
April 22: Police held a press conference and announced that police had started deploying armed policemen in shopping malls in the wake of Wafi City robbery. The gang, described as highly skilled and organised, was said to be linked to robberies in Europe.
April 28: Police arrested one of the two suspects who was assigned to leave the country with the jewellery. He was arrested as he sat in a car. After searching the car, police found the jewellery worth Dh14,780,000.
April 29: Police announced the arrest of three suspects, two in the UAE and one abroad and said a hunt is on for other suspects.
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