Police arrested a school teacher and three students after they held up several stores and made off with cash from shopkeepers. Makkah Police spokesman Col. Ati Al-Qurashi said police received reports of multiple thefts in south Jeddah, with shopkeepers providing similar descriptions of the robberies and suspects. According to shopkeeper reports, three of the gang members would barge into the shop with weapons and threaten to kill shopkeepers if they do not comply and give them the money, while the fourth member waited outside in a rented car. After thorough investigations, police discovered the gang leader was an Arab physical education teacher and had approached two of his students and another boy from another school to form a gang. Police said the teacher provided weapons and rented the cars they used. Officers contacted one of the students' fathers, who was happy to comply with officers as he said his son had a criminal record and that he had disowned him. Police were able to identify and locate all gang members and arrest them. The four members confessed to the robberies and the case was forwarded to the pertinent authorities. Terrorist sentenced to 3 years in prison RIYADH — The Special Criminal Court sentenced a Saudi man to three and a half years in prison for traveling to Syria and participating in the war. The man was charged with joining a military force known as the Battalion of the Liberated Levantines, training at their camp and taking up arms for the group. According to the court, the man also helped another individual to travel to Syria to participate in the conflict. He also received around SR20,000 to complete travel arrangements for the individual. The court banned the man from international travel for five years upon his release. Armed man breaks into SAMA offices JAZAN — Police arrested an armed man after he forced his way into the offices of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) on Sunday. Jazan Police spokesman Lt. Gen. Mohammad Al-Harbi said police received reports that a man armed with three knives forced his way into the Jazan offices of SAMA. Officers arrested the man immediately and are investigating the intruder's motives. Saudi arrested for smuggling illegals ABHA — Police arrested a man as he attempted to smuggle 14 Ethiopian expatriates into the Kingdom. Asir Police spokesman Saeed Bin Jarman said officers at Tathleeth police station tried to stop a suspicious vehicle but the driver sped off trying to avoid officers. After pursuing the vehicle officers were able to stop and detain the Saudi driver and found 14 undocumented Ethiopians expatriates inside. The driver told police he was being paid to smuggle the expatriates. Police arrested the driver and the illegal expatriates. — Okaz/Saudi Gazette
