Grandson 'sorry' for stealing Dh560,000 from grandmother

Dubai A grandson admitted sneaking into his grandmother’s house while she was away and stealing Dh560,000 in cash and a Dh40,000 worth necklace.

The elderly Emirati grandmother was said to have discovered once she returned to her residence that someone had trespassed into her place, broken open the safes and stole cash and a golden necklace in April.

The grandmother called up her 37-year-old son and asked him if he had opened the safes, according to records, and taken the cash and the necklace.

The son called up the police before primary interrogations revealed that the 23-year-old employee [grandson] was the one who had entered the house and stole the money and then necklace.

Prosecutors charged the employee of using a screwdriver to sneak into the bedroom, break two safes and rob his grandmother.

The Emirati suspect entered a guilty plea and apologised for what he had done when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.

“It was a mistake and I am sorry for that. I would never repeat it,” he argued before presiding judge Urfan Omar.

The suspect then told the court that he had returned the stolen necklace and the cash.

“My grandmother has waived her compliant … my uncle is present in the courtroom to confirm that,” he told presiding judge Omar while pointing towards the uncle who was present in the court.

The uncle then addressed the bench of judges and confirmed that his mother had pardoned the suspect and dropped her complaint.

Thereafter the presiding judge looked towards the suspect and said: “Do not repeat this … what you did is a very serious crime. As per the Penal Code, you could be imprisoned for a year or two. This is a major crime and the stolen amount is not small. The court will grant you bail … you will be sentenced on May 25.”

The uncle had testified to prosecutors earlier that his mother [the grandmother] discovered the theft once she returned from her travel.

“When she checked the safes, she told me that the suspect stole Dh310,000 and the necklace from the big safe and the rest from the small safe,” he claimed to prosecutors.

A jeweller claimed to prosecutors that the suspect came to his shop wanting to sell the necklace for Dh15,000.

“The suspect alleged that he did not have a receipt for the necklace and that he had purchased it from Al Ain. He claimed that he bought the necklace to decorate his camel in case of winning the race … then he claimed that he decided to sell the necklace since his camel ended in fourth. When I asked him for his passport copy, he claimed that he only had his work ID. I gave him Dh15,000 and he left,” the jeweller testified to prosecutors.

The suspect was quoted admitting to prosecutors that he robbed his grandmother.

A ruling will be heard on MaY 25.