Driver stole Dh7million from his employer, police say

DUBAI // A driver who stole Dh7million in cash after his employer had trusted him with the money has been arrested, police said today.

The victim, a businessman from an unnamed Asian country, left the bag of money in the car with the driver shortly after withdrawing the cash from a bank. He then left to conduct other business.

The driver, who was hired illegally three months before the incident, reportedly drove off with the money.

Brigadier Khalil Al Mansouri, head of the Dubai Police CID, said the case was complicated by the fact that the driver was not on the businessman's sponsorship. This, he said, made it difficult to track the suspect, as there was little information about him.

Police deployed 63 teams to find the man.

Four officers were sent to the suspect's homeland, an unidentified Asian country, to ensure that he had not returned home.

Other officers were sent to Oman to ensure that he had not escaped there.

Police also contacted the UAE Armed Forces to ensure that he would not escape illegally through land borders.

The investigations revealed that the man had driven to Abu Dhabi before returning to Dubai. Police found the car abandoned in a car park near Port Saeed. They found the driver hidden in an abandoned house in Fujairah, and arrested him.

wissa@thenational.ae