Police arrest ‘robbers’ involved in major theft

142 tolas of gold, Rs1.4m, valuables and foreign currency were looted in October

KARACHI: Police claimed on Wednesday to have arrested the alleged thieves involved in what was reportedly the biggest robbery of 2019.

At least eight armed men had snuck into two houses in Javed Bahria Housing Society, Mauripur, on October 13, 2019. They stole 142 tola of gold jewellery, Rs1.4 million, $4,000, 81,000 Saudi riyals, nine mobile phones, five wristwatches, a camera and two licensed pistols.

According to the police, seven suspected robbers, belonging to an Afghan gang, have been arrested in connection with the burglary, while the two stolen pistols have also been recovered. The suspects were identified as Abdul Wahab, Ahmedullah, Muhammad Wali, Abdul Rahim, Abdullah, Allahdad and Naseebullah.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Investigation SP Mukhtar Khaskheli said that the Special Investigation Unit had apprehended the suspects and handed them over to Mauripur Investigation Police.

Robbers loot neighbours’ houses in Karachi

Khaskheli said that the stolen gold could not be recovered from the suspects, as they had handed it over to their accomplice Samiullah, who then sold it to a goldsmith, Javed, in Liaquatabad. Meanwhile, the other valuables had been sent to Kabul, Afghanistan, he added.

Samiullah has also been arrested, said Khaskheli, while the goldsmith has not yet been located.

The SP said that police have acquired the remand of the arrested suspects from court, and are trying to recover the gold and arrest the remaining members of the group as soon as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2020.