Online advert leads to attempted armed robbery

A NORTHSIDE religious leader who was selling a Rolex watch online dodged a bullet last week when he was held up at gunpoint by a conman posing as a buyer.

The victim, a prominent Muslim cleric, has now issued a stark warning to those who use classified websites to sell goods.

Dr Umar Al-Qadri is still recovering from the shock of being threatened at gunpoint outside his family home in Clonee last Monday evening, March 4.

The Pakistan native, who has lived in the area for nine years, had advertised his Rolex for sale on a website and was contacted by an apparently interested buyer who said he would pay around e3,000 for the watch.

“I got a call the day that I put the ad up by a man who I believed to be quite elderly,

? Dr Al-Qadri told Northside People.

“I gave him my address and he was due to come to the house at 7pm with his wife which made me less wary.

“When they didn’t arrive by 8pm, I called the buyer to say he could meet me elsewhere.

“I left the house and put the watch and my bag into the car when I saw a man running towards me.

“He pointed the gun at me and said:

‘Give me the watch or I’ll shoot you in the chest’.

“He kept shouting and shouting and then fired a shot into the air.

“He was obviously trying to intimidate and scare me into making it easy for him.

?

A standoff between the pair ensued with the fearless local resident instructing the armed robber to get the watch from the car himself.

Dr Umar Al-Qadri then grabbed the watch from the passenger seat and threw it over the fence next to his house. The vicious robber sped off in his car empty handed.

braver

“I was braver than I should have been because I thought that the gun might have been fake,

? he explained.

“When he shot it didn’t sound as loud as what I would have expected from a gun but I wasn’t sure.

“The more I think about it now, the more I realise that I should have just given him what he wanted and I would advise anyone who finds themselves in that position to surrender what they have to protect themselves first and foremost.

?

Inside the cleric’s home, his wife and two children were oblivious to what was unfolding.

Dr Al-Qadri said he remembered thinking at the time that he hoped he would not die in those circumstances.

“As a Muslim, I know that when the time is up, it’s up,

? he explained.

“But you want to go in a peaceful, beautiful way – not at the hands of a desperate robber.

“I am still a bit shaken from what happened. I never thought anything like that could happen here.

?

He is critical of the Irish justice system, which he believes does little to discourage such serious crimes.

“These kinds of incidents are happening more frequently here because the justice system is weak and criminals are not given long enough sentences and punishment to deter them from crime,

? he stated.

He also warned any member of the public selling goods on classified websites not to provide their address for any reason to buyers and to arrange to meet interested bidders in public places.

bizarre

Local councillor David McGuinness (FF) described the crime as a

“worrying and bizarre incident

?.

“Many people engage in online selling and buying,

? he stated.

“The passing of personal information within this process has clearly been shown up to be incredibly dangerous when this incident is considered.

“The shooter in this case should be pursued vigorously and brought to justice. Blanchardstown residents are in shock.

?

The Garda Press Office said gardai in Blanchardstown are investigating the incident.

“There was an attempted armed robbery in Clonee at approximately 8.20pm on March 4,

? a spokesperson said.

“A male discharged a firearm, however there were no injuries and no damage to property. The matter is under investigation by Gardaí in Blanchardstown.

?