Dubai: A porter has been accused of stealing sunglasses and wristwatches from passengers’ bags while transferring luggage from planes at Dubai International Airport.
The Nepalese porter, D.K., 24, was said to have opened several items of luggage and taken seven sunglasses and two wristwatches that he hid at his house before police recovered them during a raid in February.
Records said police raided the porter’s house following a tip-off by an informant that D.K. had been pilfering items from luggage while transporting them to and from planes.
Prosecutors accused the suspect of stealing.
D.K. failed to show up before the Dubai Court of First Instance where he was scheduled to enter a plea on Thursday.
According to the charges sheet, prosecutors said D.K. abused his job as a porter at the airport and used to open passengers’ luggage while transporting them between the terminal’s cargo area and planes. He stole seven sunglasses worth Dh170 and two wristwatches worth Dh580.
A police corporal claimed to prosecutors that one of the undercover agents at the airport notified them that D.K. had been removing items from passengers’ luggage.
“We summoned the suspect for questioning, during which he admitted that he had opened several [items of] luggage and took sunglasses when he worked at Sharjah Airport. Then he changed his confession and claimed that he took them from luggage at Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 1. We obtained a written approval from him to search his residence. We searched his room and found the sunglasses and wristwatches hidden in a black bag; he instantly admitted that they were stolen from luggage,” the corporal testified to prosecutors.
The presiding judge adjourned the case until the suspect is legally notified about the next hearing on November 10.
