Abu Dhabi: A Filipina who had attempted to rob a local exchange using a toy gun and a real knife has been sentenced to seven years in prison after the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeals upheld the initial ruling.
The defendant will also serve two months in prison for illegally staying in the UAE after her visa expired. Wearing the national dress (abaya), a headscarf and face cover (niqab) to hide her identity, 33-year-old A.L.R., entered the exchange and attempted to rob the store by using a toy gun last March. However, one of the store’s employees managed to disarm the woman before authorities arrived.
Upon reaching the scene, the area was cordoned off to prevent the suspect from fleeing and a search conducted by a female police official revealed that A.L.R. was also carrying a knife.
Located on Abu Dhabi city’s Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Street, the store’s manager had earlier told Gulf News that more extensive training will be provided to staff members whose quick intervention may have prevented a more serious turn of events.
During interrogations, the suspect confessed that she had racked up Dh140,000 in debt which she had planned on paying off after robbing the store.
Colonel Dr Rashid Mohammad Borshid, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department, condemned the suspect’s use of the national dress to commit her crime.
