DUBAI // A police officer has been given a suspended one-year jail sentence for stealing Dh43,170 from a lost-and-found box.
The 23-year-old Emirati took the money from the box after it was delivered to him by officers from Al Barsha police station in April last year.
The officer, who was based at Al Qusais police station, was responsible for receiving lost-and-found boxes from stations across the emirate and returning items to their owners.
An officer from Al Barsha said he delivered boxes to the defendant at nearly 9.30am, after which one of his colleagues saw him open one, take out a plastic bag and place it in his pocket.
Four hours later, a bag containing money was reported missing.
After being questioned, he confessed to taking the cash and spending almost Dh15,000 on spare parts for his car.
The defendant was convicted of embezzlement by the Dubai Criminal Court and also fined Dh43,000.
salamir@thenational.ae
