The money was stolen from a gas station in Al-Muzahmiyah district, according to police on Friday. The police said the friend, also a Yemeni, put the safe containing the day’s proceeds in his room.

The only person who knew about the safe was allegedly his friend, who used to visit him frequently.

The police said the gas station worker was shocked when he discovered that his safe was missing and immediately reported the case to clear his name.

“Focus was put on the friend, who was the only person who knew about the safe. When he was apprehended, he admitted his crime,” a police spokesman added. He added that the thief had buried the safe in a rest house in Jeddah.

He had planned to take it back to Riyadh to open it once he had evaded capture.  The police said the safe contained SR100,000 in cash and over 1,000 pre-paid mobile cards worth more than SR150,000.