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Armenian gang arrested in Kuwait

11 July 2011 13:49 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Kuwait-based Arab Times and Al-Seyassah news agency issued a statement on the arrest of the Armenian gang by the Kuwaiti law-enforcement bodies, Azerbaijani embassy in Kuwait told APA. The statement says that officials of the Criminal Evidence Department of the Interior Ministry arrested a six-member Russian gang which specialized in stealing jewelry and valuables from grand villas and jewelry shops in the country. All of them are believed to be of Armenian origin.

The gang, which includes two women, has reportedly stolen gold worth over KD 1 million (3 700 000 USD) over the last four years. Its modus operandi included visiting Kuwait on visit visas during summers, breaking into the villas of the rich, and escaping out of the country with the loot. The head of the gang, however, hasnâ€™t been arrested yet.

A security source said officials noticed that thefts at villas in Capital and Hawalli governorates had increased and that the thieves were using advanced ways to open safes. He said money and gold worth KD 200,000 was stolen over the last two months. Securitymen then intensified investigations and managed to arrest a Russian national of Armenian origin who was involved in a case in 2007. During interrogations, he admitted that he was part of a gang that specialized in stealing jewelry and revealed that he comes to Kuwait along with the others every year on a commercial visit visa sponsored by a hotel.

He also confessed that his wife was on her way to the airport with the stolen gold and forged passports. Securitymen arrested the woman and during interrogation, the couple gave details of four other members of their gang, including a woman. All of them are believed to be of Armenian origin. They were involved in a theft case a couple of years ago. The members said they smuggle the jewelry out the country to the seventh accused. Securitymen are looking for him.