Thief caught after leaving gold-filled shoes at Dubai airport

Indian stole from his employer and left the country but was scared to go through airport security with gold in his shoes, so he left them at the airport, a move that led to his downfall.

DUBAI // A cleaner was caught stealing valuables from his boss after he left shoes filled with gold at Dubai airport.

The Indian admitted last month to the theft of thousands in cash in different currencies plus gold and diamonds.

Prosecutors at Dubai Criminal Court said the 30-year-old, who worked for his boss at a foods company, stole Dh51,000, 5,600 euros, US$8,700, 2.6kg of gold, a gold necklace and a diamond ring in January.

The brother of the boss, from India, said: “When my brother had to leave the country for a while, we tasked the cleaner to care for his villa in Jumeirah.”

With his brother was out the country, the 33-year-old later approved the defendant’s holiday to travel back home.

Weeks later, he was surprised to get a call from Dubai Police CID after the man’s shoes had been found in the airport filled with gold.

“CID called me and said that, while at the airport, the cleaner left his shoes because he had hid the gold inside but was afraid he would be detected by scanners, so police contacted us to double-check about our belongings,” said the brother.

The defendant had taken the money back to India with him but left the gold at the airport in his abandoned shoes.

An investigation led to the owner of the shoes and, after contacting his sponsor’s brother to find out if items had been stolen, the defendant was arrested upon his return to the UAE on February 16.

“He confessed to us willingly,” said a police officer.

He was sentenced to six months in jail and will be deported upon release.