Waiter at Burj Khalifa hotel admits Dh300,000 thefts

DUBAI // A former employee of a hotel in the world's tallest building yesterday admitted peddling stolen goods for Dh300,000 in cash.

A Dh53,000 Rolex watch swiped from the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa led to the discovery of the money in the home of the South African waiter.

KM, 20, was charged with theft yesterday at Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance. It was the first criminal case to be filed involving the designer hotel. Fahad al Anizi, a Kuwaiti businessman, told prosecutors he had complained after his gold Rolex watch went missing from the side pocket of his luggage, which he had left in the living room of his hotel room.

"I went to shop at Dubai Mall before I was due to check out and return to Kuwait. When I arrived home, I discovered that the watch was missing," Mr al Anizi told prosecutors. "I called a friend who resides in Ras al Khaimah, and he said it was imperative for me to return to file a police complaint."

The businessman returned a week later and attended the Bur Dubai Police Station on August 1. Hotel records were reviewed and it was found that KM had been inside the room when Mr al Anizi was out, a police investigator told prosecutors.

"When we interrogated him, he confessed to stealing the watch," the officer said.

During a search of KM's home, prosecutors said he admitted to carrying out other thefts at the hotel.

"We recovered Dh330,200 in cash from his home in Discovery Gardens," the officer said.

KM said the money was mostly from stolen goods he had peddled, but said Dh13,000 was a collection of tips given to him by customers.

The former waiter pleaded guilty yesterday, and the court will reconvene to issue its verdict on November 28. KM remained in custody.