Steal and flee - but Dh1.2m heist went bust

A gang of three who planned to flee the country after stealing Dh1.2 million is on trial at the Dubai Criminal Court.

In a well-planned operation, the 23-year-old Indian clerk, ARM, was entrusted with the duty of stealing the amount from the cashier's draw at the place where he worked - an electronics store.

The second accused, who works for Riuzaina Exchange, was responsible for transferring the amount and the third accused was to help them escape the country on Pakistani visas for Dh24,000.

AAK, 25, clerk, MMA, 29, bank clerk and SKH, 30, jobless are accused of criminal complicity.

Cashier Mohammed Husain testified in court that he received between Dh15m and Dh20m every day.

"On May 2 at around 2.30pm I put Dh1.2m packed in nylon in the drawer and went upstairs for lunch. At that time there were four people in the company including ARM. After a little while ARM bought me a soft drink and left.

“After finishing my lunch I checked the drawer and did not find the amount in the drawer. I asked my colleague Paula Mohammed who was there and he claimed to have no knowledge. He said that he remember asking ARM who was carrying a black sack as to where he was going. ARM allegedly replied that he was going to meet his uncle."

Husain claimed he never locked the drawers when he went for lunch because it was needed for clients.

There was about Dh3m in the drawer but I expect that the accused stole this amount because it was packed separately. The company could not check the CCTV cameras because they were out of work,” he added.

P Mohammed, Indian, accountant clerk testified that he stayed in the company’s transfer section as the rest of the staff left for lunch. “Ten minutes after Hussain went upstairs to have his lunch, ARM left the company with a black sack in his hand.

“After discovering that Dh1.2m was missing we called him, but his mobile phone was switched off and so we called police. I did not see ARM taking the money because I was busy with transactions on my computer. However, I saw him carrying a black sac when he left the company.”

Second Lieutenant Khalid Khalifa, testified that at around 4.30pm the police received a complaint from Sayed Mohammed accusing ARM of stealing money from the cashier’s drawers.
ARM who disappeared was arrested the following day at around 10pm from Al Rifaa area.

He confessed to the crime and said that he had planned the operation with three others. He admitted that his role was to steal the amount, while the second accused would arrange for a person to move the amount overseas.

The third accused was to help them escape out of the country, with the help of a Pakistani.

After committing the theft, ARM informed his two accomplices. The third accused asked ARM to go to his accommodation near Naif Police Station and handed over the amount to him and together with a fourth person they managed to process money transfers through different money exchange companies.

“The three met at about 7pm in the house of the fourth accused in Al Ain. They were promised an escape route for Dh24,000.

“The man in Pakistan asked for their pictures and money. The accused travelled back to Dubai transferred Dh4,000 and said the rest would be transferred after crossing the borders.
The court adjourned the case to November 13.

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