A Dubai Health Authority employee stole an order of 550 hazmat suits to be used by medical workers in the emirate, a court heard.
The assistant storekeeper allegedly asked a supplier to deliver five boxes of the medical equipment - valued at Dh20,000 - to his uncle's home in Mirdiff, Dubai.
Dubai Criminal Court was told the 28-year-old told the supplier he would transfer the goods to an unspecified hospital but instead tried to sell them himself.
The suspected thefts are said to have been carried out between June 1 and 10 of this year.
The Indian citizen had worked for the authority since 2017.
He was responsible for receiving medical supplies, storing them and adding them to DHA’s electronic database.
Hazmat suits are commonly used by frontline workers to protect against infection when treating Covid-19 patients.
“He told the supplier he would later move the boxes to the hospital but didn’t clarify which hospital or when,” said a policeman.
Judges were told the defendant had tried to sell the stolen items the next day.
“I received an offer from the defendant to sell me hazmat suits for less than the market price,” said a partner in a medical supplies company.
The woman reported the incident to DHA’s management, which lodged a complaint with the police.
In court, the man denied a charge of theft.
The next hearing is scheduled on November 25.
