Beware of ‘money touching’ thieves, warn Dubai Police
dubai — Criminals have resorted to new fraudulent methods to steal money from exchange offices and financial establishments, the Dubai Police have revealed.
For instance, a thief walks in claiming to be a tourist and asks the money exchange staff to show the local currency notes, then take the notes and touch them. When the employee offers him a stack of notes, the thief swiftly swipes a few without the former noticing it.
One particular exchange staff was robbed twice within minutes using this same trick. The method involves distracting the staff’s attention, making the theft very quickly with the help of multiple accomplices.
Lieutenant-Colonel Adil Al Joker, director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Dubai Police, said that they had named this method of theft as “money touching” and it was being used by robbers in a consistent manner.
Security cameras at the scenes of theft brought attention to the ‘money touching’ method. In one case, the crime was carried out by a woman and two men. The woman approached the exchange staff
Security cameras brought attention to the ‘money touching’ method. Armed robberies of banks have almost completely ceased, except in one case involving a money exchange office in Al Rifa’a area.” Lt-Col Adil Al Joker, director, CID , Dubai Police
and asked to see the local currency notes. Her partner then stepped forward and started talking to the same staff member, while the third waited outside the establishment.
The woman picked up a package from the cash drawer and returned it, without the staff noticing that Dh30,000 was stolen from it. While standing next to him, she swiped more money right under his nose. After reviewing more security footage, other suspects were also spotted stealing using the same method.
The CID officials arrested the criminals and recovered the stolen cash, but warned staff at exchange offices and other outlets dealing with money to pay attention to their surroundings, be wary of customers who approach them and be committed to the rules involving money handling.
The police have also issued a circular to money exchanges to take preventive measures.
Lt-Col Al Joker said that in another recent incident, a gold shop in International City was robbed in just under a minute, because the jewellery was only stored inside wooden drawers “like a grocery”. The thieves fled with Dh3 million, which was later recovered and the gang members caught.
A special section of the Dubai Police analyses these criminal methods, comparing them to the ones used in the thieves’ countries of origin to establish patterns, if any. If the act is repeated in multiple incidents, it’s labelled a criminal phenomenon — one that that the police takes and deals with seriously.
However, the official said that armed robberies of banks or cashiers have almost completely ceased, except in one case involving a money exchange office in Al Rifa’a area, which did not have security measures in place.
Other such con methods used in Dubai included thieves approaching bank customers claiming that their car’s window was broken or had a flat tyre and when the customer stepped out to check, they would steal his or her money.
In a joint seminar held by the Dubai Police, in cooperation with a group of bankers and financial institutions for fund transfers, Major-General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, assistant commanderin-chief of the Dubai Police for CID, said the money exchange sector had to establish the first line of defence against crimes of theft and fraud.
“The use of high-efficiency security systems, including both alarms and cameras, proper concealment of and restricted access to money storage areas should be established,” he said.