DUBAI // A 19-year-old soldier and his friend broke into a parked car and stole Dh110 and a jacket.
On December 17 last year, the Emirati serviceman and his compatriot, 23, smashed the rear window of a Toyota Camry that was parked in Al Rashidiya and stole a black jacket, wallet and laptop.
They threw away the laptop but split the cash between them. One of them also kept the jacket.
A 27-year-old Emirati policeman said several similar thefts had been reported in the area and police had stepped up patrols around the neighbourhood.
“On December 21, a patrol spotted the two men on foot at nearly 4am and stopped them,” said the officer, adding that the pair immediately confessed to stealing from the car and were referred to Al Rashidiya police station for questioning.
“They said they were out at 3am looking for a car to steal from when they saw the Camry and one of them used a screw driver and a small knife to break the window,” said the officer.
Police found the knife and screw driver on one of the defendants.
In court, both men confessed to theft charges.
The next hearing will be on May 22.
salamir@thenational.ae