$200,000 Ransom: African steals passports of 400 staff, flees UAE

An African company employee who wanted to avenge a decision by his manager to sack him stole the passports of 400 colleagues in Dubai and fled to his home country.

He then sent them an email demanding $500 for each passport.

The former human resources employee had a heated argument with the company manager before he was sacked and his visa cancelled.

Before leaving the emirate, he sneaked into the company premises and used his office keys to take the 400 passports, before heading straight for the airport.

Company officials said they had informed the police about the theft, but that it was too late as airport records showed that he had left the UAE for his home country.

“After a while, the African sent an email to the company demanding the payment of $500 per each passport — a total of $200,000.

“He said he would send back the passports of those who pay via express post,” ‘Al Khaleej’ daily said.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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