Two robbery victims help catch thieves

A man threw a handful of sand in the face of a knife-wielding thief but that did not stop the accused from using the weapon, according to details of a crime case.

Abdul Razaq M, 52, Iranian investor, and Vigyan M, Indian, were in an apartment that offers massage service in the Al Rifaa area on November 19, 2009.

Then four men entered the apartment impersonating as police officers. Suddenly they took out large knives and ordered everyone to gather in the hall. They were speaking Arabic with Gulf and the Egyptian accents.

The two men were ordered to hand over their wallets and the accused took cash totalling Dh10,000 and also stole Abdul Razaq’s mobile phone and left the apartment. However, the two victims ran after the thieves and Abdul Razaq caught one of them. However, he had to let him go as he threatened him with a knife.

Then Abdul Razaq rushed to support Vigyan who was shouting for people to catch the thief. The three men reached a sandy area after a chase that lasted 20 minutes. Vigyan took a handful of sand and threw it in the accused’s face, but the latter was quicker and he hit Vigyan’s hand with his knife.

A passing police patrol chased and arrested the thief. Police confiscated the mobile phone of Abdul Razaq and three others and Dh6,000 from the thief.

Ismaeel Mohammed, 24, Emirati policeman, testified that his patrol was informed by the operations room about a theft in the Al Rifaa area and that one of the suspects had a knife.

The police patrol saw the thief running and holding a knife and the other two running behind him. Police arrested the accused identified as FNN, 31, a jobless Egyptian, Mohammed testified before prosecution.

Abdul Razaq and Vigyan told police that there were three other thieves. Police managed to arrest SJG, 39, a jobless Emirati, while the other two are fugitives.

FNN and SJG confessed before prosecution that after consuming alcohol the four planned to rob people in the apartment that offered massage service. They obtained large knives to execute their crime.

Medical tests proved that the accused had consumed alcohol.

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