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Dubai: Burglars broke into the Philippines Consulate-General late on Friday night and made off with more than Dh45,000 in cash and cheques, as well as a passport, police and consulate officials said.
The consulate staff discovered the burglary when they reported for work on Saturday morning. No arrests have been made so far. The consulate is located in a quiet residential area in Al Ghusais.
A police officer in charge of the case at Al Ghusais Police Station told Gulf News that the culprits broke in through the front door.
"[The burglars] crashed the front door lock," he said, adding that the police guard stationed in front of the consulate did not hear anyone breaking in.
He said the money and passport were stored in a safe in the financial officer's office, which had also been broken into.
He added that an investigation was on, but refused to comment on whether it was an inside job.
A senior official at the consulate, speaking to Gulf News on condition of anonymity, said the stolen money was part of the official funds - fees paid for consular services, such as renewal of passports, and money for running the consulate. "It's a small amount, but it is upsetting," he said.
The official said that insufficient security and the consulate's location made the burglars' job easier. "The consulate is small and it's very hard to control the crowd. At the same time, there is only one security guard at night. The consulate is also at a very isolated location," he said.
He added that security has now been stepped up at the consulate and the number of guards would also be increased to ensure 24-hour vigilance.
The consulate has reported the incident to the government of the Philippines, the official said.
Reaction
The burglary elicited mixed reactions from Filipinos. "I feel so bad for them. The consulate already suffers from a lack of funds and now the situation is worse," said Retchell Francisco, a Filipino marketing manager.
Alan Alegado, an assistant manager at a restaurant, however, was not surprised. "The security there was only at the gate. I didn't see much security elsewhere," he said.
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