Dearborn's "Burka Bandits" Arrested, Face Life in Prison

If these guys were smart, they would have committed their crimes in Dearborn and would only have robbed Christians. The Dearborn Police Department and prosecuting attorneys might overlook such crimes.

MICHIGAN--Four Dearborn men are facing an Oct. 10 preliminary hearing on charges of holding up Ruby Jewelers on Ford Road in Garden City and taking more than $200,000 in cash and jewelry last Wednesday afternoon.

Yousif Raad Al-Hassan, 18, Zeyd Addul Al-Hayder, 18, Mustafa Ali Al-Sayad, 18, and Sajad Ali Al-Sayad, 18, were arraigned before 21st District Court Richard Hammer Friday afternoon. All four defendants were charged with armed robbery, punishable by up to life in prison and receiving and concealing stolen property in the amount of $20,000 or more, punishable by a prison term of 10 years and/or three times the value of the property. Al-Hayder face an additionally charge of assault with a dangerous weapon-felonious assault that carries a sentence of four years and/or $2,000 fine.

A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of all defendants and bond was set at $250,000 cash for each of them. A preliminary examination will be Monday, Oct. 10, in 21st District Court.

More that $200,000 in jewelry and cash was taken from the store during the daytime robbery.

According to Garden City Police Chief Robert Muery, a witness at an adjacent business called 9-1-1 after he became concerned when he saw what he believed was a man, dressed as a woman in Arabic attire and two other men enter the store.

“When the witness saw two other men approach the door, he went to an area where he was able to observe the store's closed circuit surveillance monitor and became convinced there was an armed robbery in progress,” Muery said. “As the robbers fled the business, the witness also was able to provide a vehicle description.”

Muery said the information given out to other police agencies and within a few minutes, Wayne County Sheriff's Deputy Keith Rachwal spotted the vehicle in the area of Inkster Road and Cherry Hill. The vehicle was stopped with the help of officers from Dearborn Heights, Inkster and Garden City.

“The four occupants were taken into custody without incident,” Muery said, adding that the stolen cash and jewelry, disguises and a weapon were found in the vehicle.

The victim at the jewelry store told police the first man, whom the owner initially thought was a woman, produced a handgun, demanded access to the safe and then struck the victim with the gun. The man then let two other men into the building through a secured door. They began taking jewelry while the armed man forced the victim to open the safe, Muery said. (Source)