DUBAI // Six men who stole jewellery, smartphones and perfume worth Dh430,000 from a villa have been sentenced to two years in jail each.
Five of the men, all Sri Lankans aged between 27 and 48, broke into the house in Al Qusais on July 9 last year and stole five Rolex watches worth Dh250,000; jewellery worth Dh90,000; two smartphones and three tablets worth Dh16,000; women’s handbags worth Dh50,000; and five bottles of oud valued at Dh24,000.
The Egyptian victim, 45, returned from a trip abroad to find his house had been burgled.
About a week later police identified two of the defendants and arrested them in Sharjah. During questioning the men confessed to the raid and led police to their accomplices.
“At their apartment in Sharjah we found some items which they said they had stolen from different places,” said a 26-year-old Emirati policeman.
The five men who carried out the burglary said a sixth defendant, also Sri Lankan, had agreed to arrange UAE visit visas so they could carry out burglaries.
In court last October the five men denied a burglary charge while the sixth man denied aiding and abetting.
However, all six men were found guilty by Dubai Criminal Court and sentenced to two years in jail to be followed by deportation.
salamir@thenational.ae
