JEDDAH, 6 April 2006 — A Saudi, a Somali and a Yemeni walk into a store...
No, this isn’t the start of a joke, but the beginning of a story about a gang of three thieves that attempted to purchase 22 cell phones, each priced at about SR2,000, using a stolen credit card, according to a report yesterday in Al-Riyadh daily.
Suspecting malfeasance at play, the crafty shopkeeper told the men that he only had 12 phones in stock but that he could get the others by the end of the day.
According to the shopkeeper interviewed for the story, the gang leader initially declined, saying they would be happy to take just the 12 available phones. The shopkeeper said he persuaded the men to return later in the day, assuring them that he would get them 10 other phones. The men agreed.
Instead, the shopkeeper called the police, saying that the men didn’t look or dress like people who could legally afford to make such a purchase.
The men returned later in the day and were immediately nabbed by the cops.
The investigation determined that the men were petty thieves responsible for a rash of pick-pocketing that has been occurring in area mosques.
The modus operandi of the men has been for them to target a victim while making a withdrawal at an ATM machine, noting his PIN number. Later at the mosque, two of the men flank the victim in a crowd while the third steals his wallet from behind. The men would use any stolen credit cards to quickly make large purchases. Police linked one SR80,000-purchase to the gang.
Police found out from the investigation that these thieves were also targeting old people.
Col. Hizam Al-Shehri, of the Jeddah investigative crime unit, urged people to report their stolen cards the moment they are stolen. He also urged people to be more careful when withdrawing money from an ATM machine and also to be on the lookout for people eyeing PIN-number entries.
“Many people find out that there are people standing a little too close when they are at ATM machines,” said Al-Shehri. “If a person sees someone this close then they should ask him politely to stand back and keep his distance. Their main target is to know the password so they can later snatch the wallet and use the card. We have received many requests from people to place large notice signs near ATM kiosks to warn them about this type of crime.”
