Georgian cycle thief seized trying to flee Dubai Airport

A Georgian man with a police record at home robbed nearly Dh3.5 million from 22 apartments in Dubai and Sharjah and hid the loot inside his bicycle before he was seized at the airport just before his departure.

The 35-year-old man arrived in Dubai on a visit visa in late May to carry out burglary operations, targeting jewelry and other valuable items inside flats whose tenants were out. He managed to rob 12 flats in Dubai and 10 in Sharjah with the help of two Georgian friends, who left the UAE before his planned departure.

“He targeted apartments by their doors given his experience in burglary…he selected doors which indicated the tenants of the apartment belong to a nationality which likes to possess gold,” said Lt Colonel Ahmed Al Marri, director of the criminal investigation department in Dubai.

“He would then knock at the door…in case there was no answer, he would then open the door expertly and sneak into the flat…he was carrying out his operations in the evening when people are mostly out of their homes.”

Quoted by the Arabic language daily Emirat Alyoum, Marri said a detective team could not seize the man as he was about to rob another apartment, adding that he apparently sensed that he was being watched.

“He then decided to leave the country…we spotted him at the airport on July 15 as he was ready to leave….our men noticed he carried a large box containing a dismantled bicycle..…after searching it, we found all the stolen items stuffed inside the bike’s pipes……..some of the items were broken so they can be stuffed inside the pipe,” he said.

Marri said his department was in contact with Turkey to retrieve jewelry, watches and other looted items sent by the defendant just before he was to leave.

MUST READ:

Apple makes big iPhone 5 change

Dead Asian found near EIDA in Sharjah

Wives need not exit Dubai for employment visa

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.