JIZAN, 4 February 2008 — In a combined operation, police in Makkah and Jizan arrested a man from Abu Arish who impersonated a high-ranking police officer and extorted more than SR5 million from his victims, including a judge and a police officer.
The manager of a hospital in Makkah complained to the police that the man, who posed as a high-ranking police officer, had taken SR1.5 million from him promising to facilitate a loan for his hospital. After the man was arrested it was discovered that there were a number of similar complaints against him.
Ahmad Al-Wadaany, a spokesman for Jizan police, said that the man being held in Abu Arish prison was awaiting trial.
Cases of criminals impersonating government officials to cheat money out of residents are often reported in the local media. Jeddah police recently arrested a Saudi who impersonated a municipal employee and fined a member of the public SR3,000 for violating construction laws.
