Men will see out jail term for cable theft at Dubai firm

Two men sentenced to three years for breaking into a contracting firm, attacking a security guard and stealing Dh450,000 worth of electrical cables will remain in prison, the court of appeal has ruled.

DUBAI // Two men sentenced to three years in jail for breaking into a contracting firm, attacking a security guard and stealing Dh450,000 worth of electrical cables will remain in prison, the court of appeal has ruled.

Pakistanis A M, 22, and M S, 30, were jailed by the Dubai Criminal Court in February this year after being convicted of robbery, damaging property, issuing threats to kill, assaulting the guard and endangering his life.

Three others who also took part in the robbery are still at large.

The gang broke into the company’s premises at 8am on February 15 last year and attacked the guard, gagged him, tied his hands and covered his head with a blanket before stealing the cables. Prosecutors said that the gang also threatened to kill the guard if he resisted or tried to call for help.

Records police were able to connect A M to the robbery and arrested him in Sharjah.

“He confessed that he was part of the robbery along with four other men,” said policeman S A, 36. “He said he and M S met with the other three at midnight on the day of the incident in Al Raffa and when they reached the location they were asked to wait outside.

“Then about 15 or 20 minutes later they were asked to help the other men loading the cables, after which he said he drove the loaded vehicle to Sharjah.”

The officer added that AM said the cables were sold for Dh80,000 to a garage in Sharjah’s industrial area.

“He said his share was Dh8,000, while M S’s was Dh7,000,” said the policeman.

The Indian security guard said that he was taken by surprise when the men raided his workplace, slapped and restrained him.

“They tied me up and gagged me with duct tape and covered my head with a blanket – they also took my phone and broke it,” said 46-year-old P K. “They said they would kill me with a knife they had. One of them placed the knife on my abdomen.”

The two men will be deported after completion of their jail terms.