4 jailed over Dh350,000 exchange robbery

Ras Al Khaimah - As per court records, the defendants robbed a money exchange in the emirate in June last year, and made away with Dh350,000.

The Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court has sentenced four Asian men to 10 years in jail for an armed robbery at a money exchange. The court also ordered the deportation of the convicts after the prison term.
As per court records, the defendants robbed a money exchange in the emirate in June last year, and made away with Dh350,000.
One of them managed to immobilise the staff at the teller counter, while two others threatened another staffer at knife point to lead them to the safe. They then robbed the safe and fled. The fourth waited in the car while the others carried out the crime. The entire robbery was executed in less than two minutes.
The RAK Police, alerted of the robbery, rushed to the scene and started investigation.
Brigadier Abdullah Mankhas, director of the Criminal Investigations Department at the RAK Police, said the teams managed to arrest the mastermind of the robbery within 24 hours.
Investigation showed the gang chief was repetitively seen roaming around the exchange some time before the robbery, he added.
"He even transferred Dh1,000 of the robbed money abroad, and was about to fly out of the country."
Brig Mankhas stated that the suspect first denied the charges, but later admitted to his crime when confronted with evidence and the confession of other gang members. While two others were nabbed in Sharjah, the fourth was arrested in Dubai.
"The gang leader told the police that he shared the Dh350,000 robbed with the other three defendants who fled to Sharjah and Dubai. They were later arrested in collaboration with the law enforcement bodies in the two emirates."
All of them proved to have criminal records, and were heavily in debt, Brig Mankhas said.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Ras Al Khaimah