Dubai: Two jobless men have been jailed for two years each for using iron cutters to cut the locks of an electronics shop and stealing Dh285,000 worth of smartphones and digital devices.
The Afghan duo, R.M. and S.K., and their two countrymen, who remain at large, broke into the shop and stole 273 smartphones and 17 digital tablets in August 2014.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted R.M. and S.K. of breaking in and stealing.
R.M. pleaded guilty when he appeared in court.
Meanwhile his partner in crime, S.K., pleaded not guilty.
According to Sunday’s ruling, presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the duo will be deported following the completion of their punishment.
The shop’s Indian vendor said he discovered the robbery at 10am when he went to open the shop as usual in Naif.
“When I reached the shop behind Pizza Hut, I discovered that the locks had been broken and someone had broken into the place and robbed it. I contacted my supervisor instantly and it was discovered that the thieves had stolen smartphones and digital devices worth more than Dh285.000,” he told prosecutors.
A police lieutenant testified that primary interrogations revealed that R.M. and S.K. were involved in the theft.
“Shortly after their arrest, the two defendants admitted that they had broken into the shop and stolen tens of devices … they also claimed that the men at large participated with them in the heist. During questioning, the duo claimed that one of the absconders handed the stolen items to a Pakistani man, who sold them in Sharjah and then they shared the profit,” the lieutenant said.
The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
