JEDDAH, 21 September 2004 — Residents and police joined hands to corner a gang of criminals and recover SR1.7 million it had just swindled from a businessman, Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday.
The drama began when the gang pretending to be doing SAWA card business lured a businessman with SR1.6 million to a furnished apartment. The businessman came to the apartment to sign a business deal with the gang, thinking that they were genuine businessmen. When he discovered that the people were fake, he shouted for help which alerted the neighborhood. The gang then fled the apartment with the money.
Police and residents surrounded the area and blocked the gang from getting away, and after two hours and a car chase, the bag containing the money was returned to its owner.
Homoud Al-Otaibi, an eyewitness, said the gang, consisting of two Senegalese and an African woman, locked the man inside and escaped through the back door.
The man shouted for help from his friends waiting outside. Immediately, residents of the neighborhood and friends of the businessman launched a search operation. After a long chase, the man carrying the bag was hit by one of the chasing cars. He escaped leaving behind the bag with SR1.7 million.
