Niqab-clad woman arrested for armed robbery in Abu Dhabi

Police say A L R, 33, from the Philippines, wore a black cloth over her face, a veil on her head and black gloves then entered the exchange and threatened to kill staff if they did not hand over the money in the tills.

A woman suspected of attempting to rob a currency exchange with a replica gun while dressed in a burqa has been arrested. Courtesy Abu Dhabi police

ABU DHABI // A woman in a niqab, armed with a replica gun and a knife was arrested after trying to hold up an Abu Dhabi currency exchange.

The woman, A L R, 33, from the Philippines, walked into the exchange and threatened to kill the staff if they did not hand over money.

She wore a niqab, an abaya and black gloves, and had a piece of cloth covering the gun so it would not be recognised as fake. When police arrived, they found the woman scuffling with staff. She was arrested without any of the staff suffering injury.

Col Rashid Bourshid, head of CID at Abu Dhabi Police, said the woman was an illegal resident and confessed to the attempted robbery, saying she was Dh140,000 in debt.

Police found a knife in her purse, which, she said, she intended to use if her gun was recognised as a fake.