JEDDAH, 1 July 2006 — An Asian immigrant was arrested in Makkah for impersonating a police officer in order to shake down migrants, the daily Al-Madinah reported yesterday.
The fake cop used scare tactics to herd Asian workers to remote locations and then threatened to deport them unless they paid all the money they were carrying. The suspect was also charged with purse snatching.
Responding to complaints from several expatriate workers, a special investigative unit was formed at the holy city’s Taniem police station. After an unspecified period of time, the investigators finally caught the suspect in an alleyway.
A search into his background showed that the man had been deported to his country of origin but he re-entered the Kingdom with a new passport and entry visa.
Police also busted a Saudi who is charged with purse snatching in the Taniem area. The youth preyed on women entering shopping malls and leaving ATM kiosks. He used a motorcycle to whiz past his victims, quickly snatching their purses, police said.
The suspect was arrested in Jeddah by the local police who handed him over to investigators in Makkah.
