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ATM, credit card thieves active in shopping malls

SHARJAH — Pick-pockets and thieves have adopted a new modus operandi — "steal-and-shop-immediately" — after they steal ATM and credit cards from unsuspecting shoppers, leaving the latter with little time to report the matter to the police or the banks to block their accounts.

by

Afkar Ali Ahmed

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Published: Sun 30 Oct 2005, 10:30 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 9:04 PM

And with Ramadan shopping in full swing, the long queues of customers are easy picking for the pickpockets stalking major malls in Sharjah. Various police stations in the emirate have registered at least 65 complaints of credit card pinching, an official from the Investigation Section of Sharjah Police has said.

Stating that the pick-pockets had timed their crime with the heavy shopping rush before the Eid, he said the thieves pick cards of shoppers immediately after they pay their bills at the counters.

The victims discover the theft of their card only after they reach, by which time the thieves would have finished shopping with the stolen credit cards, leaving no time for the victims to call the bank to block the card.

Sharjah Police, which suspects that an organised gang was behind the series of credit card thefts, has formed a special team to catch the culprits red-handed in the act. Several officers have been deployed in various shopping malls for the purpose.

Speaking to your favourite No. 1 newspaper, Khaleej Times, Al Hadi Mubarak, a textile shop owner at Sharjah Clock Tower, said he went for shopping last week at Al Manama Shopping Centre. “After I paid the bill using my credit card, I left the shopping centre carrying many bags to my car. All of a sudden, I felt somebody touching my pocket, and when I checked, I found my wallet missing and with it went my Dh500, driving licence and credit card," said Mubarak, who immediately informed RAK Bank credit card to block his card and also lodged a complaint with the police.

Aisha Numan, A Sharjah Government employee, said her Emirates Bank ATM Card was stolen at an amusement park while she was busy with her son on the rides. She discovered the theft only the next day when she needed to use the card for shopping. "I called up the bank and discovered that the thief had used my card to purchase electronic items at Rolla Shoping Centre. I blocked the card and lodged complaint with the police and am now waiting for the outcome of investigations," she said.

Abdul Khaliq Ahmed, a businessman, said his wallet which contained Dh900 and ATM card was stolen after he shopped at Al Medina Supermarket in Rolla and then went to a restaurant to pick up take away food for iftar. When he reached home, he discovered that the wallet was missing and amount of Dh5000 was used directly from his account by using the ATM and purchase of mobile phones and other electronic stuff at K M Trading in Sharjah.

Anil Mendez, Branch Manager of K M Trading Shopping Centre, said since the Eid shopping rush started, several cases of thieves using others credit cards had been reported at his centre. "Two weeks ago, a man stole a credit card and used it for purchasing mobile phones. The counter salesman could identify the thief and gave his description to the police. We don't have camera at each and every cashier, and hence, it's very difficult to trace the thieves. But we cooperate with the police by providing bills and information of purchases as well as victims who seek our help," he added.

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