TAIF: The Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution (BIP) has called for questioning a number of “senior figures in government organizations” in connection with four teenagers who allegedly stole over SR2 million from bank ATM machines using electronic game cards. Sources said the officials are reportedly relations of the teenagers, and are believed to have been involved in covering up the thefts, failing to report knowledge of them, or helping the four purchase and sell cars. The BIP is still seeking to establish the precise roles of each of the teenagers and the fate of much of the stolen money, which was withdrawn on separate occasions over a period of two years. The four were arrested in late November. Police said one of them had obtained a games card from a mall in Taif and discovered by chance that he could withdraw money from the account of the last person before him to use certain ATM machines. The machines all belonged to a bank that was running on an outdated system. After first using the card to obtain SR800, he and the three then withdraw far greater sums on separate occasions, totaling over SR2 million. The money came directly from the bank's capital and not from private customer accounts. When bank officials noticed the withdrawals the Criminal Investigation Department in Taif was contacted, and reviews of video records and photographs from ATM cameras led to the arrests. Police said the four had bought five cars and sold three of them in the months leading up to the discovery of the thefts.
