Man sprays petrol to start fire in Dubai

A 52-year-old New Zealand salesman allegedly attempted to rob a money exchange company by threatening to set the premises and the staff on fire, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

On May 1, a masked man with a cap on his head, gloves on his hands and a black bag on his shoulder, entered a money exchange. He was carrying a bottle containing a liquid in one hand and a lighter in another.  He entered the money exchange and sprayed petrol on one of the staff and moved to the next but a glass barrier prevented him from doing it, JA, 33, Filipino supervisor told investigators.

“He was shouting and asking for money. He opened his bag and asked the staff put money in it. I was getting out of the fax room and I asked one of the staff to press the security alarm button. When the alarm rang, the attacker ran away,” the supervisor told investigators.

Police reviewed footage of security cameras and saw the attacker when he parked his bicycle outside the money exchange before entering it. A security camera also recorded him spraying petrol and threatening to light a fire.

Police identified the attacker from his DNA confiscated the mask, which was a brown underwear, gloves, lighter and the black bag.

The accused had also made another attempt at theft earlier for which he was sentenced to six months in jail.

The court will reconvene on November 9.

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