Man charged in bump-and-run theft of Dh42,500

He and an accomplice stole the money from a man on his way to a wire-transfer centre, prosecutors say.

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DUBAI // An Ethiopian visitor denied stealing Dh42,500 from a man heading to an exchange centre to wire the money to China, a Dubai court heard this morning.

Records showed that the suspect KA, 28, bumped the victim MK in the chest while he was walking towards an exchange centre in Naif area about 1.15pm on December 26, 2010.

MK told prosecutors that another man, who was not identified in court records, simultaneously shoved him on the back.


He added that the bumps distracted him while KY grabbed the money from his pocket.


“I didn’t feel him while doing so, but moments later felt my pocket lighter,” he told prosecutors.


MK said he tried to catch the man, but KA was outrunning him, so he started screaming “thief, catch the thief!” Pedestrians chased KA and caught him few blocks away, then called police, records show.


Police did not find the money, and MK said KA must have given it to his accomplice, who remained at large, records show.


Police referred KA to prosecution after failing to identify and locate the other suspect, according to records.

The next hearing was scheduled for February 23.

salamir@thenational.ae