SHARJAH // Police have arrested 15 people who they say were part of a well-organised gang that stole and dismantled 63 cars and smuggled them abroad.
Each gang member had a specific role, said Maj Gen Humaid Mohammed Al Hadidi, the police director general of Sharjah Police.
Two gang members specialised in stealing the cars, while others were involved in amending specifications and stripping them for parts before they were smuggled.
"We have found out that the gang members were targeting cars on the [ignition] while the motorists were far away from the car," Maj Gen Al Hadidi said. "One of the members was a specialised electrician who ignites cars that they stole with no keys, and [there was] another technician for duplicating the car keys. Both suspects were working for a car electricity workshop and car-keys manufacturing shop." Police discovered several car workshops were involved in dismantling the cars, he said.
"Various car robberies were reported to the police lately and we have found out that most of the cars were stolen from areas near mosques while other cars were stolen even before the holy month of Ramadan," he said.
With an increasing number of reports of stolen cars, Maj Gen Al Hadidi gave instructions to start an investigation. "It was found that the gang had plans to smuggle another bunch of cars and were still in the process of stealing more cars from various areas," he said.
"We have caught one of the suspects red-handed while trying to operate a car parked at the sandy areas nearby a shopping mall at Al Nahda area. Another security team arrested two suspects who were bargaining about the selling price of another stolen car found parked at Sharjah Industrial Area 2."
Fourteen suspects were arrested in Sharjah, and one in coordination with Dubai Police.