DUBAI // A Pakistani security guard who stole 30 iron scaffold poles worth Dh10,000 has been found guilty of theft by Dubai Criminal Court.
RM, 24, took the poles from the construction site where he worked on May 22 and sold them to fellow Pakistanis MM, 24, and 27-year-old MB for Dh250.
All three were convicted and jailed for three months each.
The guard was convicted of theft while his countrymen were convicted of aiding and abetting by purchasing stolen goods. They all denied the charges in court earlier this month.
“We did not know it was stolen. He met with us in a villa under construction and sold us the scaffolds for Dh250,” said MM and MB to the presiding judge.
Syrian civil engineer TA, 35, told prosecutors that he received a call from one of his suppliers informing him that his company’s work site, a villa in Al Khawaneej, was closed and the guard was not present, so he was not able to unload construction materials on site.
“The guard, RM, was supposed to be there to receive the construction materials so I called him and he did not answer, then when I went to the work site I noticed the scaffolds missing,” said the Syrian, who called police.
Soon after the report was made, a police patrol noticed a pick-up truck loaded with scaffolding poles on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
“I stopped the driver and there was a passenger with him. When I asked them about the scaffolds they said they purchased them from RM from a villa in Al Khawaneej,” testified policeman YQ, 48, who arrested MM and MB.
Police later arrested RM. “He willingly confessed to stealing the scaffolds,” added YQ.
The three will be deported after serving their jail terms.
salamir@thenational.ae
