USA2UAE.COM

Crossdressing crime wave

When a ban on men working in women’s shops was announced two months ago, there were concerns that security could be a problem without male guards.

But few could have predicted the move would lead to a cross-dressing crime wave.

On Monday, police arrested seven Afghans whom they accuse of dressing in abayas to rob stores. The men targeted shops staffed only by women, a senior police officer said.

The abayas brought the dual benefit of gaining the men access to women-only shops and disguising their identity to make them harder to catch… SOURCE

“We [had] several complaints of men robbing women shops almost on a daily basis,” the officer said. “The cases were so many that police decided to make a plot to catch the criminals.”

The thieves would usually enter stores staffed by a lone saleswoman and threaten her with a knife. They would take money, clothes and jewellery.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Thieves Strike Hatta Pools

Thieves are breaking into cars and stealing tourists’ cash and belongings at the popular Hatta Pools. Police have warned visitors to be vigilant as they are easy targets for the thieves, who are difficult to catch because they strike in such isolated spots.

On Friday, three 4×4s were broken into and robbed of Dh5,000 (US$1,360) in cash and two digital cameras worth a total of Dh4,500.

The owners of one of the vehicles, Maggie and Roger Jepson, from Britain, said they were extremely upset and wanted their experience to serve as a warning to others.

“Apart from losing the cameras and money I have now lost my trust,” Mrs Jepson said.

“I’ve been living in the UAE for years and back in the 1970s I didn’t even lock my car. Obviously I am more careful now but something like this could happen to anyone.”

Mr and Mrs Jepson drove to the Hatta Pools after a day of wadi bashing in the nearby Hajar mountains with their friends, Margaret and David Fell, also from Britain. They parked at the end of the track and hid their valuables, then locked the cars.

When they returned 30 minutes later, the cars were still locked and bags zipped up where they left them, but they soon found the camera cases were empty and their wallets had been picked…SOURCE

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Ministry of Interior Considers Tougher Visa Rules Suggested By the FNC

Tourism doesn’t seem to be a priority any more.  What happened UAE?

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) is considering a Federal National Council (FNC) proposal that visitors to the UAE will have to furnish a clean police record and a bank statement from their country of origin, senior immigration officials told Khaleej Times on Monday.

Ministry figures show that 80 per cent of pickpockets and thieves, nabbed in recent crimes, entered the country on tourist and business visas.

Brigadier Nasser Al Awadhi Al Minhali, Acting Director General of Naturalisation and Residency Department at the ministry, said the restrictions under consideration would be applicable for visit, business and tourist visas.

“General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior, has issued these directives calling for studying the proposal of the FNC, and take action on it as soon as possible, if the new restrictions prove practical and realistic,” he said.

“The Naturalisation and Residency departments in the country have arrested many criminals, the majority of whom had entered the country on visit, tourist and business visas. This has prompted the department to chalk out new steps, including the ones proposed by the FNC,” the minister said.

Major General (retired) Ali Majid Al Matroushi, a member of the FNC and the Chairman of the Internal and Defence Affairs ad-hoc committee in the House, told Khaleej Times the high statistics had been taken seriously and prompted the recommendations…SOURCE

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!