Three men broke into a British businessman’s home in Dubai and stole belongings worth more than Dh20.7 million, the emirate’s criminal court heard on Monday.
The Chilean men, aged 27 to 31, broke into the first floor of the seven-room villa in Emirates Hills on the night of February 25.
They entered the house by breaking a window then smashed wardrobes and destroyed a safe.
They stole 14 watches, that belonged to the businessman’s wife and were worth Dh5.52m, three of her handbags and three pairs of sunglasses, each worth thousands of dirhams.
The trio also stole the homeowner’s watch, worth Dh184,000, some cufflinks and Dh14.72m-worth of gold and diamond jewellery belonging to the wife.
Cash was also taken from one of their safes as well as a TV entertainment system and bedding.
In court records, the businessman, 66, said he could not remember all the items that were stolen because he and his wife had stored many valuables in the villa.
The burglary was discovered by one of the homeowner's staff, an Indian worker, who had gone up to the first floor to turn on the air conditioning. Upon seeing the ransacked rooms, the man called his employer who in turn reported the robbery to police.
Police tracked down and arrested the three thieves the following day.
During police questioning, the men, who live in Chile, said they agreed to fly to Dubai on tourist visas and ransack villas.
Upon arriving in the emirate, they rented a car from Dubai International Airport and drove around Emirates Hills before choosing the businessman's unfenced villa as their target.
They bought gloves, masks, two screwdrivers and a torch and the raided the villa the next day.
At Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday, the three men each admitted to charges of robbery and damaging property.
Their sentences will be issued on June 24.