Dubai: After eight years of eluding the police, the fourth member of the Pink Panther gang responsible for the Dh14.7-million jewellery heist at Wafi City mall in 2007 was arrested, Dubai Police has revealed.
News of the arrest was announced by Dubai Police on Thursday.
In 2007, members of the Pink Panther gang who were armed, smashed into the glass facade of Wafi mall with two cars, and within seconds fled with Dh14.7-million worth of jewelry. The gang then burnt the two cars in an attempt to eradicate all evidence.
However, the Dubai Police forensic team managed to recover DNA samples. Within two weeks, Dubai Police arrested two Serbian men affiliated with the gang, and a third, who was extradited to the UAE.
Khamis Mattar Al Muzeina, Dubai Police Chief, said the arrest was possible thanks to the support of Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior.
"All the thanks to Shaikh Saif, for the support and diligent follow-up on the case," Al Muzeina said in a statement. "After eluding justice for eight years, we caught the member of the Pink Panther group as promised."
Last year, another member of the notorious group was arrested in Spain.
Dubai Police's work on the case was featured in a 2013 documentary about the gang, called Smash & Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers.
It showed how Dubai Police worked and collaborated with international forces on the case and how they caught the criminals.
The director of the documentary asked Al Mazeina, who was featured in the film, “if a Panther watches my film, what would be your message to him?” to which he replies, “to be far from this place. Don’t play with us, because we are not playing”.
