Dubai: Four technicians on Wednesday admitted to breaking into a jewellery store and stealing Dh1.5 million worth of gold items when they appeared before Dubai Court of First Instance on Wednesday.
The four Chinese men asked for leniency when they appeared before presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi.
Records showed the suspects, aged between 36 and 50, used a crowbar to break the locks of the iron door, then smashed the glass door and stole three gold necklaces, bracelets, earrings and gold chains worth a total of Dh1,541,925 in April.
During Wednesday’s hearing, a 45-year-old Chinese visitor confessed as well that he possessed part of the stolen gold.
A police captain testified to prosecutors that the owners of the jewellery store reported to the police about the break-in and theft.
“Preliminary investigation revealed the involvement of the four Chinese men in the heist. Following their arrest, one of the suspects admitted that they visited the Gold Souq a few days before the incident and checked on a number of jewellery stores before they decided on the particular store. Two of the suspects purchased hammers and gloves for the heist … at 1am they headed to Naif, one of them broke the external door’s lock. The other two also joined, smashed the glass door, destroyed the display shelves with the hammers, stole the gold and absconded. During questioning, the suspects also admitted that they had intended to melt some of the ornaments to erase the brand name and sell it. Then they contacted the 45-year-old suspect to come and buy the gold … the latter came to Dubai and met with the suspects at their residence. While they were melting the gold to erase the brand name, police raided their residence and apprehended them,” he claimed to prosecutors.
A police lieutenant told prosecutors that the suspects were taken to the jewellery store and made to re-enact the way in which they committed the crime.
A ruling will be heard on June 21.
