• Home
• /
• Crime

2 jobless held for pickpocketing

Two jobless men who skillfully pickpocketed a trader in broad daylight on a busy street, when one of them bumped into the latter an apologised, while the second sneaked his hand into the trader’s pocket and stole Dh52,000, have been arrested and accused of robbery.

The trader, immediately after the apparently accidental bumping, felt he was robbed, and chased one of the suspects and caught him. On being caught the suspect threatened the passersby with a liquid-filled injection, the court heard.

On interrogation, the two African suspects identified as T.H.H, 27, and Y.K.M., 26, denied the charge, and said they were unable to hire a defence lawyer, therefore, the court decided delegating a lawyer to defend them.

The case was adjourned to February 7, and ordered the two defendants be remanded in police custody.

The incident dated back to August last year, when the victim, an African trader said he came into the country via Dubai International Airport on a visit visa, to purchase some auto spare parts for light and heavy motor vehicles and ship them to his home country.

“ I had $20,000 that I brought with me from my country, and sold Dh19,500 at a money exchange shop for about Dh71,545”, he said, noting that, I bought some items, and Dh52,000 was left, which I kept in my pocket,” he told the court.

While I was walking, the prime suspect was walking just in front of me, and after few steps, I was stunned when he touched my shoulder, and apologised after hugging me, and at that moment I felt someone sneaked his hand inside my right pocket in which I had kept the cash.

I turned, and found the second suspect running away, and in the process some notes of different denominations scattered on the floor, which I began to pick up, and then chased him. I managed, with the help of passersby and shoppers to catch one of the suspects, who threatened them with an injection full of liquid he was holding in his hand. The large number of people prevented him from escaping, while the second suspect fled the scene. I informed the police about the incident, who succeeded to catch the alleged suspects,” he said.

salah@khaleejtimes.com