Punishment for robbery Thursday, 15 July 2010 04:56

robbery is a crime that jeopardises the security of society and destabilises it.

Qatari law defines a thief as someone who illegally takes money owned by others. The law stipulates long jail terms ranging from temporary imprisonment to a life sentence for an individual convicted of robbery.

Jail terms are defined in the light of the circumstances surrounding each individual crime, its place, and time as well as the number of people involved. The courts can take whatever ruling they see fit in the light of Penal Code No. 11/2004.

In keeping with this, the Criminal Court sentenced two men to an year in jail for stealing money from an ATM.

It sentenced in absentia a third man to five years in jail for taking part in the crime. It also ordered the expulsion of the three men from Qatar after they have served their
prison terms.

Details of the case are present in the investigation memorandum, which was prepared by the Prosecution General.

The robbery started to unfold when a security services company official received a phone call from somebody who told him that an ATM machine had broken down.

Having arrived at the location of the machine, the official discovered that the alarm bell connected to the machine was switched off, while its contents had been taken away.

The official also found out that a camera that used to be fixed on the machine was not there. He immediately called the police.

An inspector from the security services company said the alarm bell was switched off by entering a secret code. He also said the camera and a voice recorder attached to it
were stolen.

He also discovered that the ATM was opened by using its secret code.

This led the inspector to conclude that the robbers were people who knew how to deal with ATM machines very well.

Following intensive investigation, a clerk from the company, where the ATM machine was located, confessed to stealing the money. He said two of his friends helped him undertake the robbery.

“I’ve took the spare key of the machine from the company,” the clerk said.

He added that he wore the company’s uniform, drove a car to the location of the ATM, opened it, and stole
its contents.

The clerk also confessed to giving his two friends who aided him in committing the crime, part of the stolen money before policemen confiscated it.

The two men confessed to helping the clerk in the robbery.

The following articles were applied in this case:

1. Article No. 38, which stipulates that whoever helps in a theft, takes part in committing it, is present when it takes place, or forces somebody to commit a theft is considered a collaborator

2. Article No. 340, which defines penalties in cases of robbery.

3. Article No. 367, which stipulates that whoever knowingly hides stolen items receives the same punishment as that of the robber.