DUBAI // A worker stole a gas cylinder from a restaurant and took it to the house of a man he borrowed money from and threatened to blow the place up, Dubai Criminal Court has heard. Prosecutors said that on January 3 P A, 26, from China, broke the lock of a box where the gas cylinder was kept outside the restaurant in International City then headed with the cylinder to the house.
A Chinese woman, M Z, 33, and her neice were present at the home in the Chinese cluster, though the whereabouts of the man at the time are unknown.
“It was about 1.30am when the door was knocked, my niece opened up and found a large gas cylinder at the doorstep,” said M Z.
The defendant was then said to have jumped in front of the cylinder and screamed at M Z and her niece, threatening to burn them if they ever asked him to repay the amount he borrowed.
“He said that it was him who put the cylinder at our doorstep and screamed loudly, threatening to burn me and my entire family by blowing up the cylinder if we asked him again to repay the money he owes,” said M Z.
The niece immediately called police who arrived and arrested the man.
Pakistani restaurant owner S R, 31, said: “I was informed of the theft and when I went to the restaurant I found police already there and they told me PA had stolen the cylinder and used it to threaten to kill some people in the neighbourhood.”
Police and prosecutors said that the defendant confessed to charges of issuing threats to kill, theft and damaging property.
The next hearing will be on March 5.
salamir@thenational.ae