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Robbery cases on rise in Sharjah areas

SHARJAH — A series of robberies have taken place in several apartments by breaking open doors in various areas in Sharjah, including Al Nahda, Rollah, Al Qasimia, and the Buhaira Corniche area, Khaleej Times has learnt.

Speaking to some of the victims who lodged complaints at various police stations revealed that their cases are still under investigation and the police said they would take some time to find the criminals.

Anil Kumar, a resident of Juma Al Majid Building in Al Nahda, said that on December 16, he went out with his family and a guest visiting them from overseas. Before they left, they secured the apartment door as there was money and jewellery kept inside the apartment. After they came back from a shopping mall, they found that the apartment door lock was broken, somebody had gone inside and stolen jewellery worth Dh40,000, half of which belonged to the guest and the other half belonged to his wife.

Kumar filed a complaint with the Buheira Police Station and the officers immediately came to the place and conducted a search. Investigation was carried out by the police team who also took photographs as well as fingerprints from the door. “Till now, no answer and reply, and I don’t know whether the thieves have been caught or not. Since that day, my family does not feel secure as the police has not yet taken any action with regard to this case. The thieves might come back and commit a worse crime than stealing,” he fears.

Kamal Khairi, a resident of a building in Buhairah Corniche near KFC said that while he was in Oman for business, his apartment was broken and amount of Dh5,000 was stolen at 12noon while his wife was at work and children in school. His wife lodged a complaint at the Al Buhairah Corniche police station and is still waiting for the result of the investigation. Zubair Khan, another victim, said that his apartment, located in Rollah area, was broken while he and his roommate were at work. “Nothing was stolen, but the apartment was searched by the thief who couldn’t find money and precious items to steal. I lodged a complaint at the Al Garb Police station in Sharjah,” he disclosed.

Balal Khalid, a resident of Al Qasimia who lives in a building near Mashreq Bank, said that his flat was broken on December 11 at evening when he and his wife went to a funeral in Abu Dhabi. Electronic equipments, mobiles, and some amount of money were stolen. All the stolen items, including cash was worth Dh7,000. He lodged a complaint with the police and is still awaiting for the result of the investigation.

Officials from the Sharjah Police said that they can’t consider this as a phenomenon, but normal theft complaints which take place everyday anywhere. If the police confirmed these robberies as a phenomenon and that there was a gang behind it, the police officer would carry out the investigation and necessary procedures and announce it to the public after the thieves got arrested. But if it’s only a normal complaint, the investigators will take time till they collect all the evidence and find the thieves who carried out the thefts. All complaints filed at any police station by the victims of any crime are being taken into consideration by conducting immediate investigation procedures until the offender is arrested. “The police officers are working 24 hours to maintain peace and security for the public,” he added.

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