DUBAI // An office helper yesterday admitted to burgling a number of villas and stealing more than Dh600,000 worth of money and other valuables.
Prosecutors told the Criminal Court that one of the burglaries took place at the villa of AA, where the office helper MF, 26, once worked. The villa owner and his family were returning from a day out on May 28 this year when they noticed the door of their home was wide open.
"The rooms were in a mess and the safe which contained money and gold plates was missing," said the villa owner. He said that a laptop, a digital camera and other items had also been stolen.
Police investigations led to the arrest of the office helper, who had worked at the villa six months earlier and knew about the location of the safe and the valuables.
When interrogated the office helper admitted to burgling a number of villas. According to court records, the amount stolen from all the villas was Dh600,000 in addition to a number of gold plates and electronic items. He also confessed to stealing Dh3,500 from an American man.
In court, the office helper admitted charges of theft using force, but his alleged accomplice MH, a 35-year-old driver from Pakistan, denied them.
The Emirati police officer MD, 26, testified that he found some of the stolen items while searching the homes of both the men.
Police believe half of the stolen gold and money was sold to an Iranian man, AS, who will appear before court on a charge of knowingly possessing stolen items.
A verdict is expected on November 26.
[ salamir@thenational.ae ]
