Visitor jailed over robberies at airport
DUBAI: A visitor-turned-robber who erected a tent near a Dubai airport, snatching bags from trolleys of preoccupied travellers has been imprisoned for six months plus deportation.
THE European man, 24, took A Sudanese traveller offguard and snatched a suitcase from his trolley at around 10.30pm In June. he retreated to the tent. He later snatched valuables of an Emirati traveller.
He checked the Sudanese’s suitcase and landed on a chequebook. He plucked out ive cheques and illed In bogus data on three of them showing the Sudanese had issued them in his favour, prosecutors explained.
Since he had landed on the Emirati man’s passport, he issued two cheques in favour of the Emirati. He forged signatures on those cheques. He was planning to impersonate the Emirati and withdraw cash.
During court questioning he admitted forgery but argued he was walking around the airport when he came across a bag and picked it. The Dubai Criminal Court has sent him to six months in prison plus deportation.
He told police and prosecutors that he came to the UAE on A 90-day visit visa. It expired. He failed to change his status or depart. He erected a tent within trees beside the airport’s water storage facility.
He survived on snatching whatever he could from belongings of arriving passengers. He was marauding out- SIDE Terminal-1 when he spotted the Sudanese man – a sales supervisor – pushing a loaded trolley.
The Sudanese then entered a car rental office to get a car, leaving the trolley outside the office. He made use of the situation to snatch the bag. He retreated with it to his tent as usual and used a spoon to open it.
Thereafter, he was walking around in search for what to steal when he came across an unattended backpack on a trolley. He turned left and right until he Confirmed there was no one near it or keeping an eye on it.
He picked it up and hurried to the tent. He checked it and found an Emirati man’s passport, a Samsung Galaxy A3 smartphone and wireless earphones. Criminal Investigations Department cops smoked him out.