All in just 20 hours: Asian couple stole diamond in Dubai, nabbed at Delhi airport

Dubai Police have recovered a diamond worth AED 300,000 (about 81,673 US dollars) just 20 hours after it was stolen by an Asian couple.

The 3.27 carat gem was recovered after being stolen by the couple from a jewellery shop in Naif area. They left the country before being caught in India after Dubai Police alerted the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) and Indian authorities and brought them back to Dubai.

Though the owner of the shop found out about the missing diamond and informed the police about three hours after the incident, the police managed to recover the gem within 20 hours in cooperation with the Indian authorities.

"The couple was identified in a short time and arrested in transit area in India as they were trying to smuggle the diamond to their home country," Major-General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, the commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, said. He praised the work of his officers at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) who recovered the gem in such a short time after identifying the two suspects.

"It is a new achievement for Dubai known as safe and secure city. Our strategy is to cut crime rate and quick response to emergencies," Maj General Al Merri said. Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, Director of General Department of Criminal Investigation in Dubai Police, said smart data analysis centre helped solve the crime in short time.

He added that two suspects in their 40s, went to the jewellery shop. The man distracted the salesman by asking for specific diamonds while the woman, who was holding a jacket under her arms, stood near a table and stole the gem worth Dh 300,000 and put it in her jacket. The couple left the shop and the salesman discovered the robbery after three hours. Colonel Adel Al Joker, Director of Criminal investigation Section at Dubai Police, said the thieves left immediately to Dubai International Airport and departed to India on the way to their home country. They were brought back to Dubai from India.