Office cleaner in dock over theft of more than Dh6,000 from woman’s purse

Slovenian woman left for a tea break and found that her purse was missing after she returned, Dubai court hears.

DUBAI // A saleswoman’s purse containing more than Dh6,000 was stolen from her while she was on a tea break, a court heard on Wednesday.

The Slovenian woman, 41, told prosecutors at Dubai Criminal Court that on March 6 while she was in her office at the Concord Hotel in Al Muraqqabat, the defendant, who works as a cleaner at the company, arrived for work.

“It was time for a tea break so I left him and headed to make some tea and remained out of the office for about 30 minutes to give him enough time to finish,” the woman said.

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She said she resumed work and about two hours later, when she wanted to order lunch, she reached for her purse but could not find it.

The Slovenian talked to her colleague from the next office and asked her about the 32-year-old Filipino cleaner but he had already left by that point.

“I managed to get his mobile [number] and called to inquire because I suspected he might have opened my bag and stole the purse. He told me he didn’t and that I can’t prove he did because I don’t have cameras in my office,” the woman said.

She reported the incident to police, who found her purse in the street three hours later. “But Dh6,800 in cash was gone from the purse as well as my Nol card,” she said.

The cleaner was the main suspect and during police questioning he admitted to stealing the money then throwing away the purse.

“Yes, I did it,” he told judges in court on Wednesday. He awaits a verdict on April 30.