A Filipina was victimized in a payroll robbery staged by at least two men, one of whom was her co-worker, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week. But Sharjah police arrested two suspects shortly after the crime, after noting some booboos committed by the co-worker, UAE-based Khaleej Times said in a report Monday. Police investigators indicated the crime was amateurish, with the suspects seeming to take cues from police television shows. Brigadier Yousef Musa Al -Naqbi, head of the Sharjah Police Criminal Investigation Division, said the crime appeared to be motivated by a series of police drama series on television as the two criminals were not experienced in what they did.. “The robber threatened the driver verbally and the Filipina with a knife, the robber tied the driver with a rope and the driver made no resistance at all. Even after the robber fled, the driver stayed in his seat. It was the Filipina that moved out to seek assistance,” he said. The incident occurred last Wednesday, when the Filipina and a company driver, a Pakistani, went to the bank to collect the salaries of workers, police said. The report did not name the Filipino employee and the suspects. After the Filipina and the driver withdrew Dh142,000 (P1.736 million), a man suddenly entered their car and tied the driver with a piece of rope. He then threatened the Filipino woman with a knife before he fled with the money. Police said their investigation showed the Pakistani driver was involved in the plan to rob the money. The Khaleej Times report quoted police as saying the driver eventually confessed that he had planned the robbery. Police said the driver told police the Filipina would transport the employees' earnings at the end of every month. According to the driver, he and his companion knew she was collecting about Dh100,000 (P1.222 million) at the time. The driver told police during questioning he and his companion had planned to use the money to buy cars and resell them in their country. He also said he and the robber kept constant communication and his companion was at the bank minutes before they arrived. Investigation showed the robber watched the Filipina and the driver enter the bank and withdraw the money. When they returned to the car, he attacked them.. Police arrested the Pakistani's companion in a follow-up operation. Recovered from the companion was Dh136,033 (P1.663 million). The companion said he used some of the money to pay for an airplane ticket. The two suspects confessed to the robbery and have been referred to the Sharjah Public Prosecution.
