Saturday: 16 October 2010:
ADP arrests thieves of valuable goods using fake credit cards
Abu Dhabi Police have arrested two visitors, who stole valuable items from the Duty Free and other stores in Abu Dhabi, using fake credit cards containing stolen balances locally and internationally. The two suspects claimed that their motive to the crime was accumulation of debts owed a gang which chasing them, as they lost their money because of bets in an online casino. The gambling web site related to predicting the winning teams of the past World Cup finals and the English Premier League.
The crime was revealed by Colonel Hamad Ahmed Al Hamadi, Director of ADP Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where he said "The suspects admitted their crime and being threaten by a gang based broad. They confessed that the bang had threatened to harm their relatives if they did not purchase the expensive goods from the UAE by use of fake credit cards. The credit cards were linked to accounts of persons living in and outside the UAE. Accordingly the gang promised to drop a part of their debts that amounts to tens of thousands of US Dollars".
In the same context, Colonel (DR.) Rashid Mohammad Bu Rasheed, Head of Organized Crime Section at CID, aid "31 was the total number of fake credit cards seized from the two visitors, identifies as (Sh.F.S., 35 a Malaysian) and (Sh.Sh.Kh., 43 a Singaporean). ".
"The CID has formed a specialized team which reached the suspects and arrested them, after a bank reported that a person had purchased expensive goods from the Duty Free of Dubai International Airport, using a credit card that b owned by one of the bank clients, which the bank had made a circular about it. The same card was used for more purchases from stores in Abu Dhabi and for payment for a stay at a hotel in the Capital. The police set out a plan to arrest the suspects on the same day that the cards were used", added Bu Rasheed.
"The total amounts that the suspects had charged to the cards were Dh135,560, including amounts withdrawn from ATMs. They used the credit cards to pay the hotel stay charges, in addition to other purchases including watches, cameras and branded women handbags", added Bu Rasheed.
"One of the suspects lost USD 20,000 after he had borrowed the amount from the alleged casino. The second suspect lost USD 15,000, after he had borrowed from the casino. Both suspects and their families were threatened by the gang", added Bu Rasheed.
The Head of Organized Crime Section at ADP CID has urged stores owners and community members to report on the spot any lost or stolen credit card, or fell victims to fraud. Time factor is very important in hunting and arresting criminals, for community safety. Community members are also asked to be more careful when using their credit cards for shopping.
The Federal Law awards any one who forges an official document a jail sentence of not more than ten years. The punishment depends on whether the person knows that the document is forged, or in the name of other person.