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Two arrested over snatching bags from bank customers

The Sharjah Police on Tuesday arrested two Afghans for allegedly snatching handbags of women after they withdrew cash from banks.

The two suspects, who had infiltrated into the country, would follow the bank customers and pour some liquid on one of the tyres of their vehicles.

When the targeted bank customer returns to her vehicle, one of the suspects would approach her and alert her about the damaged tyre. When she stepped out to check the tyre, they would snatch her handbag in which she had kept the money and flee.

If the customer was a male who kept the money in the vehicle’s front passenger seat as he stepped out to check the tyre, the suspects would steal it from the seat.

After receiving complaints from several women who said their bags with cash were snatched by strangers near banks, the police formed a team of CID officers and deployed officers in plainclothes near the banks.

During the course of investigation and surveillance, the police managed to identify one of the suspects.

When he was arrested, he confessed that he had robbed several bank customers with the help of another suspect.

The police later managed to arrest the second suspect who also confessed to his role.

The two have been referred to the Public Prosecution. The police urged banks customers to be cautious while withdrawing big amounts of money from banks and ATMs.

They also warned people against responding to the alerts by strangers who might be criminals using ingenious methods to make the targeted victims leave their vehicles with the doors open and engines running.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com