Dubai Police foiled a bank robbery by arresting three men just hours before they were to attempt the heist, police said on Thursday.

Major-General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant to the Dubai Police Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, said they arrested the three men when they stepped out of their hotel room carrying knives and swords before heading to a bank in Sharjah.

“We received information from our sources about a professional African gang staying in a hotel room in Dubai and that they were planning to rob a bank. They came on visit visas and were planning to rob the bank but we arrested them at zero hour before committing the crime,” Gen Al Mansouri said.

He claimed that Dubai Police didn’t wait until the gang launched their robbery attempt as they were carrying knives and swords and police were worried that something wrong could happen if they delayed intervention. Hence, the police decided to act fast and arrested them.

“They were a professional gang but we took them by surprise as they didn’t expect that the Dubai Police would be monitoring them. The suspects had been monitoring the bank on a daily basis, had taken pictures of the bank, located the exits and learnt about the employees’ timings,” Gen Al Mansouri said

He said the mastermind is outside the country and he had been communicating for nine months with his gang members as they planned the robbery in the UAE.

Colonel Adel Al Joker, head of investigation at Dubai Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said credible sources had told the police about the gang’s plan even before they arrived in the country recently.

“We had been monitoring them from the time they arrived in the country. They were shocked when we arrested them as they were leaving the building in Dubai,” Colonel Al Joker said.

Police found masks, gloves and maps of the bank as well as knives and swords.

“They had monitored the bank for 10 days posing as customers and had rented a pickup to use it in the robbery. They had the bank map with all exits and door locations,” Colonel Al Joker added.

Prevention, he said, is better than working after a crime happens. “We want all residents to feel safe and secure not only in Dubai but all around the UAE.”

The three men were referred to Dubai Public Prosecution to complete the investigation and confiscate their belongings

source : gulfnews