08 October 2003
JEDDAH — The Hail Street branch of Al-Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation was robbed early Monday morning.
Two masked men armed with machine guns approached the security guard just before 8:00 a.m. and beat him until he let them into the branch.
Once inside, they locked themselves in and began looking for cash. As employees of the bank began to arrive, the robbers made their escape through an emergency side door.
The branch was closed for several hours during the investigation as officials from Al-Rajhi’s Loss Control assessed the losses. The branch manager, Diyuf Al-Harbi, refused to comment on how much cash, if any, was taken during the robbery.
This is the second robbery in which Al-Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation was targeted. Two years ago in Makkah, SR87,000 was taken.
Al-Sharafiyah district’s police are investigating the incident and are attempting to draw composite sketches based on eyewitness statements to apprehend the robbers.
This is the third bank robbery here this year. Ten months ago, a Banque Saudi Fransi branch in north Jeddah was robbed by four people, as was another bank in the south of Jeddah. All suspects in the robberies were arrested and are now serving prison sentences.
Police at the local station refused to comment on the robbery as it is still under investigation. However, Mohammed Saleh Al-Thebiyani, a policeman there, has told Arab News: “Crime is happening everywhere, not just in Jeddah or in Saudi Arabia. We are doing all we can and are studying law enforcement techniques being used in other countries.”
Al-Thebiyani would not comment when asked about the apparent rise in the rate of violent crime in Jeddah.
JEDDAH — The Hail Street branch of Al-Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation was robbed early Monday morning.
Two masked men armed with machine guns approached the security guard just before 8:00 a.m. and beat him until he let them into the branch.
Once inside, they locked themselves in and began looking for cash. As employees of the bank began to arrive, the robbers made their escape through an emergency side door.
The branch was closed for several hours during the investigation as officials from Al-Rajhi’s Loss Control assessed the losses. The branch manager, Diyuf Al-Harbi, refused to comment on how much cash, if any, was taken during the robbery.
This is the second robbery in which Al-Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation was targeted. Two years ago in Makkah, SR87,000 was taken.
Al-Sharafiyah district’s police are investigating the incident and are attempting to draw composite sketches based on eyewitness statements to apprehend the robbers.
This is the third bank robbery here this year. Ten months ago, a Banque Saudi Fransi branch in north Jeddah was robbed by four people, as was another bank in the south of Jeddah. All suspects in the robberies were arrested and are now serving prison sentences.
Police at the local station refused to comment on the robbery as it is still under investigation. However, Mohammed Saleh Al-Thebiyani, a policeman there, has told Arab News: “Crime is happening everywhere, not just in Jeddah or in Saudi Arabia. We are doing all we can and are studying law enforcement techniques being used in other countries.”
Al-Thebiyani would not comment when asked about the apparent rise in the rate of violent crime in Jeddah.
Essam Al-Ghalib
© Arab News 2003
