DUBAI // A fourth suspected member of the so-called Pink Panther gang behind a US$15 million raid on a jewellery store in Wafi Mall has been arrested eight years after the theft.
Dubai Police and Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, announced the arrest on Thursday, but gave no further details of the suspect.
In April 2007, an armed gang smashed through the glass doors of Wafi with two cars. Within moments, they had fled with their haul of jewellery from the Graff store.
The gang then set fire to the two cars in an attempt to destroy all evidence.
However, using recovered DNA, within two weeks Dubai Police arrested two Serbian men affiliated with the gang.
A third was extradited to the UAE.
Last year, another member of the gang was arrested in Spain.
Sheikh Saif tweeted: “Salutation to the men of our nation. Dhahi Khalfan [deputy chief of Dubai Police and General Security] and Khamis Al Muzeinah [commander-in-chief of Dubai Police], promise fulfilled. Eight years of pursuit. Fourth suspect of Wafi gang arrested.”
Dubai Police’s work on the case was featured in a 2013 documentary about the gang, called Smash and Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers.
In total, about 50 members of the gang were arrested across Europe following the robbery.
newsdesk@thenational.ae