JEDDAH, 22 December 2006 — Jeddah police are searching for an 11-year-old Saudi boy who disappeared after his father left him in a vehicle with SR50,000 in cash while he stopped at an ATM to take out some cash.
“Police were able to find the car after more than two hours of searching, about 400 meters away from where it was stolen,” said Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, the child’s uncle. “There was no trace of Faris or the money. There was no sign of forced entry into the car. Police didn’t find any traces of blood in the vehicle.”
Hamoud Al-Ghamdi, Faris’ father, parked his car on a side street of an NCB branch in Al-Rawabi neighborhood in the southeast section of Jeddah at about 1.30 p.m.
Hamoud was on his way to make an SR50,000 deposit at another bank, the proceeds from a truck sale, when he decided to pick up some money at an ATM. Unable to find space in the bank’s parking lot, Hamoud stopped his car on a side street near the bank, leaving the child and the money in the car.
When he retuned from the ATM kiosk in the bank’s lobby, he discovered his car missing and Faris nowhere to be seen.
Distraught, the father called the police who managed to find the car after combing the area. Authorities are currently searching for the child and the money. Hamoud’s brother Ahmed was the only family member willing to speak to Arab News. Ahmed said that the parents are too upset to make any public statements and they were unable to greet any well-wishers at this time.
Faris was wearing a black winter thobe at the time of his abduction.
