Police spokesman Lt. Col. Fahd Al-Habdan said the thieves stole jewels, gold, cash, personal firearms and other valuables from homes in Buraidah, Onaizah, Al-Rus, Al-Badie, Al-Bikairiyah, Al-Khobara and Iyoun Al-Jawa.

He said the thieves, who were in their 30s and 40s, admitted their crimes after lengthy investigations by Al-Rus police and after they were confronted with evidence against them. Their confessions were documented prior to sending them to court.

The spokesman said the robbers used to wear the most expensive clothes and ride luxury cars as a camouflage to appear as respectable people whom no one would doubt. "They would carefully choose their targets and watch the houses until their owners were out before robbing them," he added.

He did not specify the nationality of the ninth thief but said he was a citizen of a neighboring country and worked in a gold shop. All eight Saudi thieves were unemployed and had criminal records.

The spokesman said the robbers would give the stolen gold to an accomplice, a goldsmith, who would sell it for them. "He was the only one of them without a criminal record so far," he added.