Housewife in Dubai ‘has bag snatched by three teenagers on motorbike’

Two 16-year-olds, a Pakistani and an Emirati, are to appear at the juvenile court, while a 19-year-old is to be tried at the criminal court.

DUBAI // A 36-year-old housewife had her handbag snatched by three teenagers while out on a walk, Dubai Criminal Court heard on Wednesday.

Pakistani E K and Emirati W A, both 16, were referred to Dubai Juveniles Court, while 19-year-old A M, holding a Comoros Islands passport, did not show up at the criminal court to face a charge of forceful theft.

The Moroccan victim S Z said she was out walking in Al Nahda at about 7pm on January 22 when a motorbike drove close to her.

“Suddenly two on the motorbike snatched my bag, pulling me for a few metres in the process and eventually throwing me to the ground, which caused me several bruises,” she said.

The bag contained Dh3,000, three smartphones and an Emirates ID, she said.

Policeman K A, 33, said: “I questioned the suspects when they were apprehended and they confessed to me that they were driving two motorbikes at the time of the incident.”

He added that they said they saw the woman walking alone and decided to rob her as she was not paying attention.

“They sold one phone, split its price and the cash they found before they tossed the bag in a sewer,” said the officer.

Information about the court hearing of the two juveniles was not available.

The next hearing for A M’s case is on October 28.