(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The Dubai Police have arrested eight suspects for alleged car thefts and recovered three stolen cars. The police are searching for two more suspects in relation with the thefts.
According to a police source, the arrested include three Pakistanis, three Omanis and two Syrians. The police are working to recover two cars smuggled to Oman, while investigating the theft of other stolen cars.
The gang allegedly stole five cars from Dubai, eight from Ajman and five from Sharjah. The suspects targeted luxury cars that were left the engine running outside gas stations, stores, banks, mosques, restaurants and supermarkets. During March, the Dubai Police received numerous complaints of car thefts.
The last theft was recorded by the Qusais police station on March 19. An Indian national told the police that he parked his Land Cruiser opposite a bakery in the Qusais area and went to bring bread and food stuff. When he retuned after five minutes, his car was missing. The police launched an investigation and managed to locate some of the stolen cars in a parking lot in Ajman.
In coordination with the Ajman Police, two Syrian brokers were arrested at a parking lot in Al Rashidiyah area of Ajman. After setting up a trap, the police arrested the other suspects on April 2 at 6pm behind a shopping mall in Ajman.
During the police investigation, the suspects confessed that the first and second Pakistani suspects were monitoring car drivers and stealing the cars. The cars were then given to a third Pakistani suspect to coordinate with the Syrian brokers. The brokers would then hand over the cars to the Omani suspects, who admitted they had smuggled a number of cars to the neighbouring country. The police are still trying to trace another 13 stolen cars and are chasing the two fugitive suspects, Kh.R and Y.M. The arrested suspects have been referred to the Dubai Public Prosecution.
Earlier, the police had arrested four persons who allegedly smuggled more than 40 stolen luxury cars in 2011 to an Asian country without being discovered by the Dubai Customs. The police have recovered five four-wheel cars hidden in a container in Jebel Ali.
The source said that a fine of Dh300 will be imposed on vehicles with a running engine according to the Dubai traffic law. This step has been taken due to the increase in the number of cars stolen with running engine in 2011. It represents 10 per cent of the total stolen cars.
The police source said that neglect is the major cause of theft as it makes easier for thieves to make away with the cars.
