DUBAI // A housemaid stole two Rolex watches worth Dh165,000 before absconding from her sponsor’s villa on The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Criminal Court has been told.
Prosecutors said that on April 30 the Ethiopian maid waited for her 42-year-old Kazakh sponsor to leave the villa with her friend for the beach, then allegedly stole the two watches, one which was worth Dh90,000 and the other Dh75,000. The maid was also accused of stealing Dh12,000 in cash, two Blackberry phones, an iPad and clothes.
When the sponsor returned home and could not find her maid, she searched the house and found that the items had been stolen. She then called the police.
The maid was arrested shortly afterwards and confessed to police that another maid had convinced her to carry out the theft and when she did, the two split the stolen items and cash.
The other maid was arrested.
Both defendants, aged 24 and 29, appeared in court on Thursday. The first confessed to theft charges but said she stole only Dh5,000 and claimed in court that she did so because she had not been paid for two months.
“But, as for the watches, she gave them to me and asked me to keep them with me,” said the maid.
The other maid denied aiding and abetting.
A verdict is expected on August 8.
salamir@thenational.ae
