Robbers set sights on customers at banks



SHARJAH // Bank customers are being urged to be on their guard when making large withdrawals following a series of robberies in which cash was stolen from cars.

Sharjah Police recently arrested two Arab men suspected of following residents from banks and breaking into their vehicles to steal the money they had withdrawn.

“Some clients took out large amounts of money and left it in their cars,” said Col Ibrahim Al Ajill, acting director of Sharjah CID.

“When they came back – from their offices or home – they found the money was gone.

“We urge residents to use online services instead of manual withdrawal of money,” said Col Al Ajill.

If you do need to use cash, he said, be watchful of your surroundings when leaving the bank and report anything suspicious to the police.

It is not the first time such crimes have been committed.

Police have responded to several similar incidents in recent years, in both Sharjah and Ajman.

In 2013, five Arab men were arrested in Ajman after a bank customer returned to his car to find his window smashed and the bag containing the money he had withdrawn missing.

In 2012, six Afghan men were arrested for robbing customers as they left banks.

During one theft, the gang took Dh138,865 from a man outside a bank in one of Sharjah’s industrial areas.

A gang of seven African men were arrested for stealing Dh1.1 million from a businessman in Dubai.

After withdrawing the money from the bank, the man had put the cash in an envelope on the passenger seat of his car and headed to his home in Sharjah. As he was getting out of his car one of the gang snatched the envelope and fled.

In 2010, three Colombians were arrested after following a customer from the bank and robbing them when they parked outside a shop in Al Qasimia Street in Sharjah. They smashed the car ’s windows to get at the money.

Indian driver Raj Singh, who makes withdrawals from banks each day as part of his job, said hearing about these cases means he takes extra care when carrying out his work.

“Part of my job is to deposit and withdraw money for the company,” said the 47-year-old.

“If I am withdrawing a large sum, I make sure that I have somebody with me for extra security.”

He said he would never leave money unattended in his car.

“I can not risk getting the money stolen, the consequences might be dire,” he said. “I have never left money inside my car while running errands.”

Egyptian Hasaneen Abbasi said he receives and sends money back home to his family each month and takes precautions when he visits the bank.

“I am a cautious person. The amounts of money I may receive or send might not be much but I keep it hidden,” said 26-year old accountant.

tzriqat@thenational.ae

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The Byblos iftar in numbers

29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month

50 staff members required to prepare an iftar

200 to 350 the number of people served iftar nightly

160 litres of the traditional Ramadan drink, jalab, is served in total

500 litres of soup is served during the holy month

200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes

350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes

5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

How Apple's credit card works

The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.

What does it cost?

Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.

What will the interest rate be?

The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts

What about security? 

The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.

Is it easy to use?

Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision. 

* Associated Press 

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Four out of five stars

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Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

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Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

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Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

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