KUWAIT CITY, July 29: The Hawalli police have arrested a Kuwaiti man for breaking into the bank accounts of citizens and expatriates via the Internet and withdrawing more than KD 50,000, reports Al-Rai daily quoting security sources. Police records show the man has a history of criminal records. The man was arrested after the security authorities received complaints from citizens and residents in Hawalli who said someone had broken into their bank accounts and stolen money. The source added a team of CID men was formed to investigate and the hacker was taken into custody on suspicion.

During interrogation the young hacker admitted to the charge. He has been referred to the Public Prosecution for more interrogations. In another similar incident, police are looking for an unidentified person for stealing KD 750 from the account of a Kuwaiti woman via the Internet, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. In her complaint to the Jahra police the woman said she discovered the theft of her money when she went to the bank to withdraw some cash. Personnel from the Money Crime Department are investigating the issue.

Bedoun fraudster held: A bedoun man who has been arrested by the police for committing 15 cases of fraud and cheating, boasted of robbing many other influential and well-known Kuwaiti personalities posing as a real estate dealer, reports Al-Rai daily. The suspect has told personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Capital governorate that he was able to steal more than KD 4 million posing as a real estate dealer and shares broker. He also said one of the sheikhs in a Gulf country has helped him get a passport of an unidentified GCC state. He claimed to have diverse relations with influential people. According to a security source the bedoun showed his victims fake documents before trapping them. Police records show the man was sentenced to 12 years in prison in absentia for issuing dud cheques. Police have also found in possession of the man a bank note counting machine, the type used by the banks.