Expat held for stealing RO 43,000 from store

MUSCAT, August 19 - An Asian expatriate has been arrested on charges of stealing RO 43,000 from a commercial store in the Governorate of Muscat on Sunday. According to a source at the Royal Oman Police (ROP), an unknown person entered the store’s office and decamped with cash after breaking the door of the locker room. Responding to the call from the owner of the store, a team from the Directorate of Inquiries and Criminal Investigation of Muscat Governorate Police Command immediately rushed to the scene of the crime. Following a manhunt launched by the police, the accused was caught with the stolen amount. “The accused has confessed to the crime and he has been referred to Public Prosecution for further investigation pending trial”, the source said. In a statement, the ROP urged citizens and residents to immediately report any suspicious activity either by making a call to the emergency police centre by dialing the hot line 9999 or approaching the nearest police station. Also, the ROP advised people to stay away from the crime scene to make investigation easy for the police. “Interference by individuals other than the investigating team may lead to loss of proof of the crime”, the ROP said. The police also told owners of commercial stores not to keep huge amount of money inside the offices to avoid being stolen. While urging all stores and shops to install CCTV cameras in their premises and ensure that they are always working, the ROP advised that lights should not be switched off when they leave. ALI AL KASBI