Saudi- Gang of robbers targeting expats busted

(MENAFN- Arab News) RIYADH: A gang of African nationals was arrested in Madinah for robbing expatriates of their valuables while traveling in unauthorized taxis.
According to Madinah police the gang has been ferrying expatriate passengers from Riyadh to Madinah via Al-Qassim in their cars which were rented from private companies.
The gang used to take one or two passengers for the hire and the others in the car would be the members of the gang. 'During the journey they stopped the car at a convenient point robbed the expatriates of their valuables and dumped the passengers on the road.'
Police said that members of the gang belong to a single African country but did not indicate the specific nationality of the suspects. The stolen articles included a variety of mobile phones laptops and cash.
Police are continuing their investigations to find out if more people operating in this criminal manner. On completion of the inquiry they are expected to refer the suspects to court together along with the evidence. Those arrested are currently in police custody in Madinah.
The police warned members of the public not to travel in unauthorized taxis to avoid such incidents.
Private car services by unauthorized drivers are anyway a problem. Such drivers are not adequately trained and their cars are not up to safety standards. Most importantly they do not have enough insurance coverage to protect themselves and their passengers in case of accidents.
The taxi stand at the city center of Batha located in the heart of the capital is infested with drivers who ferry passengers on hire to various destinations in their private vehicles.
Some of the commuters are forced to take these unauthorized cabs due to low fares and a rush to go to their respective destinations.