Two arrested as police find Dutch ambassador's handbag stolen at Dhaka University event

Police have recovered the Dutch ambassador’s stolen handbag and arrested two suspects.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 Nov 2016, 09:29 AM
Updated : 23 Nov 2016, 06:09 PM

The man, who stole the Dutch ambassador's handbag, had sold the mobile phones and an iPad found in it at a shop in Bashundhara City Shopping Centre, police say.

Ambassador Leoni Margaretha Cuelenaere was at the Dhaka University’s Art Faculty on Monday to launch a photo exhibition when her handbag was taken away:

Police have recovered the stolen handbag on Wednesday and arrested two suspects.

The man, who had reportedly stolen the handbag, has been identified as 'Rubel,' a driver by profession, says the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

The other suspect is 'Shaon', who works at an electronics shop at the Bashundhara mall in the capital's Kawran Bazar, senior Detective Branch officer Abdul Baten told a media briefing.

Rubel was arrested at Dhaka's Shanir Akhrha around 9am, he said and based on his information, the other suspect was detained from the shop he works.

"Rubel sold two mobile phones and an iPad to two shops in the mall. He got Tk 10,000 up front and was told that Shaon will pay him more once the gadgets were sold."

Baten, a DMP joint commissioner, said the bag was thrown away after the gadgets were taken from it.

"It contained the passport and some cash. The shopping mall's security had found it and announced a lost handbag for almost an hour, but no-one claimed it."

Ambassador Cuelenaere was the chief guest at the launch of the exhibition on the occasion of fourth anniversary of photography institute 'Counter Foto.'

Police had said then they have spotted the thief from video footage.

Footage shot by TV crew shows that the man fled with the handbag as soon as she left her seat to light a candle as part of the programme.

Speaking at the media briefing, Baten described the thieves as 'very cunning.'

"They steal mobile phones, bags smartly. After the ambassador left her seat, Rubel took the handbag and stood beside her."

"The attitude was like, if she asked, he would say that 'you forgot your bag'."

When Rubel saw that no-one said anything after he took the bag, he fled, said Baten. "There are more people with them. We are trying to arrest them."

Describing the Bashundhara shopping mall as a "sophisticated area", the senior DB officer said they have arrested the shop's employee Shaon 'for now.'

"Things would have turned nasty if we conducted a raid by shutting off the mall. We will investigate whether someone from other shops are involved."

Meanwhile, the Netherlands embassy has thanked police for the recovery.

In a social media post it said Ambassador Cuelenaere would like to express her deepest gratitude to police, government and all other concerned.

"Her belongings have been recovered due to the remarkable teamwork of everyone mentioned above, and especially the DMP!" read the Facebook post.