An Arab national's plan to rob a department store in the capital was foiled when officers from the Sowaidi police station arrested him hiding behind a large refrigerator in the store during prayer time. Two of the suspect's aides were also arrested. The man admitted carrying out robberies in five stores the same way. The modus operandi was simple: Hide in the store during prayer time till the store was locked up and all the employees were gone. He would then take all the money in the cash register and wait for the store to reopen to get out unnoticed and untraced. Al-Sowaidi police also succeeded in apprehending a gang that confessed to robbing more than 61 houses and stores in different parts of the city. Stolen items were estimated at SR600,000. – Okaz __
