JEDDAH, 14 May 2007 — A number of thieves broke into the home of a Saudi real estate agent and killed him by hitting him with an iron object after tying him up. The attackers then smashed the home robbing it of money and other valuables.
Police are currently investigating the homicide. The dead man was identified as Omar, 46. The man’s employer discovered the body after vainly trying to locate him because he was absent from work for a number of days, Al-Madinah newspaper reported yesterday.
“I noticed that he was absent since Thursday and tried calling him but his phone was switched off. Then I went to his house to check on him and found his car parked in the same place since Thursday,” said the employer.
“When I went up to the apartment I found the door open and entered because the situation was weird. It was then that I found him lying in a pool of blood, his hands and legs tied with wires. I went out and reported it to the police,” he said. A team of forensic experts was at the scene of the crime searching and collecting evidence. The man’s body was removed to undergo an autopsy.
According to police, the thieves entered the home through the roof. The victim had apparently tried to resist the men, who had hit him on the head. The man’s bedroom was particularly smashed. The thieves escaped through the front door using the door key, which was found close to the door.
The man’s landlord told Al-Madinah that he was shocked to learn that the man had been murdered in such a brutal way. “He was known for his good nature and decent manners among local people,” said the landlord.
