Dubai: Three arrested over Dh2.5m robbery bid

Three men have been arrested in connection with the attempt to rob Dh2.5 million belonging to a money exchange house in the Karama area of Dubai. The incident happened around 2.30pm on November 3.

The arrested persons, all Indians, were identified as 28-year-old M.S., 27-year-old M.B. and 26-year-old M.A., who is a driver in Wall Street Exchange, the exchange firm to which the money belonged.

According to police, the driver connived with his accomplices in staging the robbery.

As part of the plot, the driver was supposed to tip off the two others about the time he would transport the money from the exchange office for depositing in a bank.

Around 2.30pm on November 3, the driver and one of his colleagues were supposed to carry the cash from the exchange office to the bank.

The driver went and sat behind the steering, while his colleague, carrying a bag containing Dh2.5 million, went and sat beside him.

Just as the driver’s colleague was about to shut the car’s door, two men emerged on the scene and sprayed chilli powder on the faces of the car’s occupants. One of the attackers, snatched the bag containing the money and both of them tried to flee on foot.

On hearing shouts for help, a man, identified as Thomas Joseph, who had just parked his car nearby, again got into it and tried to block the way of the fleeing duo.

He finally managed to prevent one of the robbers, M.S., from escaping and even recovered the cash bag from him.

The police soon arrived on the scene and took the man in custody after an Arabic-speaking man alerted the Operations Room.

According to Brigadier Khalil Al Mansouri, Director of General Department of Criminal Investigation, the arrested person was put through a lie-detector test, in which he confessed connivance of the driver of the exchange.

Dubai's Braveheart

Presence of mind and exemplary courage displayed by Thomas Joseph, an accountant of a private firm in Karama, helped foil the Dh2.5 million robbery attempt.

In an interview with Khaleej Times, Joseph narrates how he responded to screams for help and, without bothering about his safety, went after the robbers and pinned one of them down until the police arrived.

He said that it was a coincidence that he had just parked his car behind the Al Shafar Building in Karama when he heard screams for help.

Through the car’s mirrors he saw two well-built men running on the footpath. They seemed to be in their twenties. One of the men wore a T-shirt, Bermudas, sports shoes and had a black-and-white shawl wrapped around his neck.

Also in the background, he saw two men running with what looked like painted faces. Later, it was discovered that the thieves had sprayed chilli powder on their faces.

Joseph said that his instinct told him that the men running on the footpath were fleeing with some stolen property. He manoeuvred his car and tried to block their path for about 50 metres. He succeeded in his efforts at the entrance of a building (where the footpath was sloped) and knocked down one of the fleeing men.

Meanwhile, the other man took a different route and fled.

By the time Joseph got out of his car, the man, who had been knocked down, got up and tried to flee. Joseph chased and overpowered him by grabbing the shawl that was around his neck. By then, the employees of Wall Street Exchange arrived.

The bag containing the cash was taken care of by one of the exchange’s employees.

One of the employees of the exchange got hold of a spade lying nearby and hit the robber. However, Joseph stopped him from hitting again.

At this point, an Arabic-speaking man came forward and informed the police, who arrived almost 15 minutes later.

While the entire chase and capture took place, scores of people, including passers-by, shopkeepers and guests of a restaurant stood like mute spectators.

Joseph said that when he took the decision to chase the robbers, he did not know what was in the bag. Later, the employees of the money exchange told him that there was Dh2.5 million in it.

While pointing out that the police sometimes accuse members of the public of not performing their social responsibilities, Joseph said that his action would encourage people to respond in a similar manner when the need arises.

He regretted the fact that no one from the Wall Street Exchange bothered to call him and express appreciation, although one ‘Mr. John’ did note down his name and mobile number.

Joseph feels lucky that the robbers were not armed, but even if they were “I would rather die a man, than live like a coward.”

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