Botched ATM robbery caught on camera

Manama : Thanks to CCTV footages, police have nabbed an abaya wearing suspect, who failed in his attempt to break open an ATM in Busaiteen, using his car’s registration number. 

Police said the suspect identified as an Asian man, who wore an abaya, fled the crime scene after spraying black paint on the CCTV cameras inside the ATM. He also damaged the ATM machine in the process.   

Investigators, however, managed to identify him after scanning CCTV footages of nearby localities and roads leading to the kiosk, said Interior Ministry’s publication Al Amn, quoting Head of Investigation at the Muharraq Police Directorate, Captain Yousif Mulla Bakhait. 

“When the police team reached the spot they found that the cameras inside the ATM were sprayed with black paint,” he said.  

The whole episode, however, was recorded by other cameras in the locality, which the suspect failed to spot. 

Investigators found from footages that the suspect was driving a golden Honda Civic  and identified its registration number as well. 

After searching the car “we found the abaya, the niqab and a black paint spray can inside,” Bakhait said adding:  “The clip showed the suspect, wearing an Abaya and a niqab”.

The suspect has been referred to the Public Prosecution for further action. 

Bakhait urged all establishments in the Kingdom to install CCTV cameras on their premises, as “this helps the owners remain safe and helps the police.”