CAIRO: Egyptian police have arrested four thieves who had been using masks of football star Mo Salah’s face to disguise their identity.
On Tuesday, a police patrol noticed four people wearing Mo Salah masks trying to break into a shop in Nasr City. As the patrol approached, the would-be robbers fled the scene, but were later caught and arrested.
All four men — who have been identified only by their initials —are unemployed. They live in Ezbet El-Haggana and Giza in Cairo, and Fayoum, 100 kilometers from the capital.
Salah is a sporting hero in the African country and the most recognized Egyptian footballer in the world. (AFP)
Police confiscated an ammunition cartridge, a bullet from the same cartridge, a pair of scissors and four facemasks from the suspects, who reportedly admitted that they had formed an armed gang “specialized in robbing stores.”
A case has been registered against the four men, who are expected to be charged with theft — a crime punishable by up to three years in jail.
Salah is a national hero in Egypt. He has been the English Premier League’s top scorer for the past two seasons and helped Liverpool win the Champions League last year.
Before the current Premier League season was interrupted by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Liverpool was on the verge of winning the English league title for the first time in 30 years — back when it was still known as the First Division.
