Tyre cons: Afghan, Colombian gang targeting bank clients held

Abu Dhabi police arrested eight men from Afghanistan and Colombia accused of robbing bank clients by posing as persons trying to help them fix their car tyres.

The eight had carried out nine burglaries involving Dh191,000, including eight in Abu Dhabi city and one in Musaffah industrial area, in less than two months, according to press reports.

Police said they had watched some of the thieves for weeks following repeated reports by victims that they had been robbed just after they left the bank.

Three of the burglars are Afghan who had come to the UAE on tourist visa, while one Colombian is visiting the country as a businessman.

Four others are also Afghan who had sneaked illegally into the UAE.

“They were picking their victims very carefully. Two of them would wait for a client to emerge out of the bank with an envelope or a bag and then pour oil under his car,” the semi-official daily Al Ittihad said, quoting Abu Dhabi CID chief Colonel Rashid Bursheed.

“Just as the man gets in his car, one of them would come forward and tell him about the oil. As the man gets out of his car and checks the oil under the vehicle, the other would stealthily open the other door and snatch the money.”

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.