Urged the public to follow awareness instructions
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Saturday, September 27th 2014 [ME NewsWire]
According
to Lt. Colonel Nasser Suleiman Al Maskari, Head of the Operations
Department at the General Directorate of Central Operations, the Abu
Dhabi Police Operations Room observed multiple professional plans to rob
bank customers after they have finished their financial transactions,
through a well-advised analytical study. Lt. Colonel Al Maskari warned
bank customers against surprise thefts; noting that unprotected money
attracts weak-minded people. He also stressed the need to maintain their
safety and protect their money by following the police instructions.
Elaborating
on the issue, Lt. Colonel Al Maskari pointed out that security
surveillance camera operators have recently noticed a number of
sequential events followed by opportunistic bank thieves to take
unsuspecting bank customers by surprise and flee the scene to unknown
destinations. He said, “Thieves lie in wait and observe their victims
upon leaving the bank until they get into their car. At this point, the
thief’s accomplice would knock on the car window pointing out a fake
flaw in the car, from an oil leak to a flat tire, prompting the driver
to exit their vehicle to examine the damage. This gives the suspect a
window of opportunity to seize the cash or the handbag from the
passenger seat inside the vehicle and to flee the scene quietly.”
Furthermore,
Lt. Colonel Al Maskari urged community members to take immediate note
of the police’s instructions and advice regarding the monitored methods
observed by the police and to be vigilant to maintain their own safety
and to preserve their money against theft. He stressed the importance
of community members’ cooperation with police efforts in order to
provide the best means of prevention and protection. He also urged
community members not to hesitate to report any suspicious activities
they may encounter while they are near banks, near ATM machines, or if
they notice that they are being followed. Lt. Colonel Al Maskari noted
that the study provided examples of the different methods used in
thefts; the thieves’ features; plausible times for thefts, planning
methods and task distribution between thieves; as well as escape plans
and means. He explained that the operations room has monitored and
analyzed these results in light of the different notifications they
recently received, and what has been observed through surveillance
cameras.
Adding further, he said, “According to the study, the
gang members are a group of at least 3 young men, of Asian features,
aged between 25 and 35 years, and wearing shirts and pants. They usually
carry out their robberies between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm”.
"According
to the study, the gang members distribute tasks among them based on an
elaborate plan to carry out their thefts. The gang is generally made up
of thee members (the accomplice or deceiver, the main thief and the
spotter who keeps watch). "The ‘deceiver’ knocks on the vehicle’s
window, while the ‘thief’ opens the vehicle’s door and snatches the
money after the victim steps out of the car. The ‘spotter’ pretends to
speak on the mobile phone while keeping a lookout from afar. They all
walk in one direction towards the nearest alley behind nearby buildings
to avoid security cameras. They avoid using any transportation mean, but
sometimes use a bicycle to prowl around banks and choose their
victims,” he continued. The Head of the Operations Department at Abu
Dhabi Police also noted that according to the analytical study, there is
a possible mutual coordination between the gang and other individuals
who prowl at the targeted banks.
Lt. Colonel Al Maskari referred
to a previous robbery during which the gang members were lying in wait
in front of a bank at the Corniche Road, when they suddenly headed on
foot to another bank located on Hamdan Street. "This proves that the
gang members received information by phone about a bank customer leaving
the bank while carrying cash. It also shows prior and professional
plans to target bank clients," he stated.
To avoid falling prey
to bank thieves, Lt. Colonel Al Maskari reiterated his call to banking
clients to abide by police instructions to secure their money before
leaving the bank, and to keep it out of sight of strangers or
opportunistic bank thieves who may be nearby waiting for an opportunity
to steal their money.
He also urged individuals to handle their
cash cautiously and to store it in a safe place; and not to leave money
inside the car when they park it in a public place. He also called upon
community members to not hesitate to notify the Operations Room on 999
to report any suspicious person or vehicle following them. Moreover, he
stated, “Women or elderly people should not be left alone when
withdrawing large amounts of money, in order to maintain their safety
and preserve their money against theft.”
The Criminal
Investigation Department (CID) at Abu Dhabi Police had previously
launched two media campaigns to protect bank clients in cooperation with
the Security Media Department at the General Secretariat of the Office
of H.H Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. These campaigns
warned bank clients against fraudulent means used in surprise thefts.
Moreover, Abu Dhabi Police constantly reports news about clampdown
campaigns against such thieves and the preemptive measures to curtail
such crimes, with a view to acquaint the public with safety measures to
be followed when withdrawing or transferring cash, and the optimal
ways to secure their money.
For more information about:
The Ministry of Interior, please click HERE
Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE
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The
Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official,
authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation
only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text,
which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.
Contacts
The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department
Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media
Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317
E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com
Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/12241/en
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