A MAN allegedly carried out three robberies at knife-point at cold stores on the same day using a vehicle whose number plate he replaced with that on his father’s vehicle.
The 20-year-old Bahraini and his Saudi accomplice, aged 21, appeared at the High Criminal Court yesterday where they denied theft and assault.
They are said to have held an Indian man at knife-point at a cold store in Suq Waqif on April 13 in addition to carrying out two other robberies on the same day in Isa Town and Exhibition Avenue.
The Bahraini defendant is also said to have carjacked a vehicle from outside a restaurant in Exhibition Avenue which the two allegedly used in the robberies.
“On April 13, 2019 I came to Bahrain and stayed with my friend (co-defendant) at a hotel in Exhibition Avenue,” the Saudi told prosecutors in a statement.
“The following day we went to eat sweets at a shop in Exhibition Avenue outside which there was an unattended Range Rover with its engine running.
“My friend took the vehicle and I followed him in my car. We went to Sanad where my friend’s father lives and he replaced the Abu Dhabi vehicle’s number plate with his father’s vehicle’s number plate.
“We then robbed three cold stores in Exhibition Avenue, Hamad Town and Isa Town.”
The cold store employee in Hamad Town described his ordeal to prosecutors.
“I approached a black Range Rover parked outside my cold store in Suq Waqif at 4am on the day of the incident,” said the 40-year-old.
“However, two men sitting in it told me they did not want anything.
“I returned to the cold store before one of them approached me and asked for coffee. His friend, who was covering his face with a ghutra (men’s headdress), then entered the cold store.
“They told me that they were going to kill me before one of them held a knife to my neck.
“They stole the money in the cash register and fled.”
The trial was adjourned until June 2 for review.
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