Swift arrest of armed bank raiders demanded to quell public's fears

The federal Government has ordered police forces across the country to work together to track down the two men accused of robbery.

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The federal Government has ordered police forces across the country to work together to track down the two men who robbed security guards of thousands of dirhams and shot one guard in the leg, outside the Noor Islamic Bank in Sharjah. The Minister of the Interior, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, has issued a decree ordering the formation of a working group with representatives from criminal investigation departments (CIDs) in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

Investigators have been told to find the robbers as quickly as possible to reassure the public of the security of the banks in the emirate, Major Gen Khamis Mattar al Mazeinah, the deputy commander in chief of Dubai Police, said in a radio interview. Major Gen al Mazeinah said police had found the car used by the thieves. The Toyota Prado was found abandoned in Sharjah with the keys inside. The owner had previously reported it missing.

Police have refused to disclose how much money was stolen in the raid, which took place early on Sunday. Zuhair Ahmed, a Pakistani national who was working for the Transguard Security Group, was helping deliver money to an ATM outside the bank when he was injured. ykakande@thenational.ae