Dubai: An orbiting satellite helped Dubai Police to arrest a gang suspected of burgling more than 10 villas in Dubai.
Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of General Department of Criminal Investigation (CID) at Dubai Police, said on Sunday that an African gang of four had been arrested for burgling villas in Dubai after their car was monitored by an orbiting satellite.
Brig Al Mansouri said that thefts from villas in residential areas had increased.
“The criminals took advantage of the absence of the owners of those villas to execute their crimes in daylight. The criminals used to break into the villas while the owners were at their work places,” said Brigadier Al Mansouri.
Brigadier Al Mansouri said similar crimes happened a few years ago committed by a gang of Africans who were arrested and now serving long jail terms. Brigadier Al Mansouri said that a CID team was formed to track this new gang. “It was not long before the gang was caught and they were even spotted by police while they were trying to get rid of the stolen goods in garbage containers in Jumeirah 1 and Al Rashidiya area,” said Brig Al Mansouri.
Brig Al Mansouri said the gang used to hide the stolen items in a hotel room in Naif.
Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief, and his deputy, Maj Gen Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina second the efforts of the CID in fighting crime.
According to Colonel Salem Khalifa Al Rumaithi, deputy director of the CID for research and investigation, the CID team spotted the gang while they were robbing a villa in the daytime and they were seen transporting stolen goods to their car.
“The gang’s car was being monitored by satellite and all its movement followed by police,” said Col Al Rumaithi.
Col Al Rumaithi said police patrols also spotted the gang while they were on their way to Airport Road heading to their hotel room in Naif.
He said the gang was followed by police and arrested while they were crossing the roundabout near Naif at around 6pm.
“The gang comprises four African men identified as L.Sh., M.H., A.A. and M.B.,” he added.
Lt Col Saeed Al Ayali, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department at the CID, said a search of the hotel room where the gang stayed revealed stolen items including gold, jewellery, watches, laptop, computers and other electronic devices in addition to huge amounts of cash in various currencies.
During interrogation the gang admitted to robbing more than 10 villas and they gave police information about those villas.
