Two Emirati men arrested for gunpoint robberies

The pair have reportedly confessed to several gunpoint robberies of petrol stations in Sharjah.

SHARJAH // Two Emirati men have been arrested in connection with several gunpoint robberies of petrol stations in the emirate. The pair were also allegedly involved in the theft of luxurious cars with tinted windows which were used along with masks to conceal their identities, a police spokesman said. They attacked petrol station personnel and demanded they hand over all their daily receipts, he said. "They also used knives and were very smart to conduct such robberies without the notice of other people in such a public place," the spokesman said. While several stations had security guards, none noticed the robberies in time to prevent them, he said. The illegal use of guns in the emirate comes less than a month after police arrested another gang allegedly involved in high street armed robberies. Five people, including three Emiratis, were found to be in possession of pistols and stolen cars as part of an illegal vehicle exporting scheme. Police received an unspecified number of complaints from petrol stations and managed to identify the duo. The first suspect to be arrested, who was driving a stolen car from Ajman, helped police to trace his partner. They later confessed to being behind a group of petrol stations robberies and car thefts, telling police that unemployment had forced them into crime. The two men have been referred to public prosecutors. The increased number of people caught in possession of firearms, which are illegal in Sharjah except for police use, has concerned residents. "It's all saying that we are no longer safe as it used to be," said Ahmed Aqir a Yemen resident of al Qasimiya in Sharjah. "We want authorities to investigate where these people are getting these guns and find solutions immediately." Samii Mohammed, an Egyptian resident of Abu Shagara, shared the same concern and said it gets more worrying if Emiratis are the ones found in possession of such weapons. "This means they can have access to illegal arms, an access that others cannot have," he said. [e-mail]