KUWAIT CITY, July 10: Officials of the Criminal Evidence Department of the Interior Ministry arrested a six-member Russian gang which specialized in stealing jewelry and valuables from grand villas and jewelry shops in the country. The gang, which includes two women, has reportedly stolen gold worth over KD 1 million over the last four years. Its modus operandi included visiting Kuwait on visit visas during summers, breaking into the villas of the rich, and escaping out of the country with the loot. The head of the gang, however, hasn’t been arrested yet.

A security source said officials noticed that thefts at villas in Capital and Hawalli governorates had increased and that the thieves were using advanced ways to open safes. He said money and gold worth KD 200,000 was stolen over the last two months. Securitymen then intensified investigations and managed to arrest a Russian national of Armenian origin who was involved in a case in 2007. During interrogations, he admitted that he was part of a gang that specialized in stealing jewelry and revealed that he comes to Kuwait along with the others every year on a commercial visit visa sponsored by a hotel.

He also confessed that his wife was on her way to the airport with the stolen gold and forged passports. Securitymen arrested the woman and during interrogation, the couple gave details of four other members of their gang, including a woman. All of them are believed to be of Armenian origin. They were involved in a theft case a couple of years ago. The members said they smuggle the jewelry out the country to the seventh accused. Securitymen are looking for him.

KUWAIT CITY, July 10: Manager of Family Affairs Department at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Bader Al-Awadhi has refuted reports which said a girl, an inmate of a social care home, had tried to commit suicide, reports Al-Shahed daily.
He said a girl was indeed referred to Sabah Hospital, but even the medical report states that she did not try to commit suicide. He claimed that a ‘game’ was being played against him.
Al-Awadhi further said he met ministry Undersecretary Mohammad Al-Kandari to respond to the fake accusations launched by some lawmakers and stressed no MP had the right to demand that he be fired from his position. “If anyone has any evidence against me, they can submit it to the authorities,” he said, adding “I am ready to face such a situation, and we receive everyone who is interested in helping the orphans.”
In an unrelated development, the State Audit Bureau (SAB) disclosed that Kuwait Municipality caused losses worth one million dinars to the state. It said the municipality issued a license that violates the bylaw related to the activity, and refused to issue a license to establish a hospital. The issues were taken to the court which held the municipality guilty of taking wrong decisions and ordered it to pay compensations to the complainants.