Dubai: Six visitors have been accused of breaking into a villa while its owners were abroad, stealing jewellery and valuables from a safe that they threw in the sea.

The six Chinese visitors, aged between 25 and 43, allegedly forced their way into the villa at Umm Suqeim through a window, entered the bedroom, broke the safe and stole gold-plated wristwatches, jewellery and other valuables worth thousands of dirhams in July 2015.

Two of the visitors were apprehended by Dubai Police for being involved in another robbery before they admitted that they stole the jewellery and valuables from the Canadian villa owner along with their four countrymen, said records.

Following their arrest, it was discovered that two of the men had thrown the safe at the beachfront near Atlantis Hotel at Jumeirah Palm.

Prosecutors accused the Chinese men of destroying private properties and stealing valuables.

The Chinese suspects pleaded not guilty and firmly refuted their accusations when they appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the suspects used a crowbar and a screwdriver to break open the safe and stole wristwatches, earrings, necklaces and other valuables.

Prosecutors also accused the six of causing Dh3,000 worth of damages to the villa when they forced their way through a window and into the bedroom.

“No we were not involved in the theft,” one of the suspect, identified as J.Y., told presiding judge Mohammad Jamal.

The villa’s Canadian owner claimed to prosecutors that one of her maids called her when she was overseas and informed her that someone had broken into the villa.

“She told me that the window was broken and the safe as well … she told me that the thieves had stolen my jewellery and valuables from the safe that she found destroyed. Two weeks later when I returned home, I discovered that the thieves had stolen my valuables and my brother’s as well. They also stole diamond necklaces and gold,” she testified to prosecutors.

A policeman claimed to prosecutors that two of the suspects were apprehended for their involvement in a theft that was carried out using the same modus operandi.

“Those two detainees had been involved in different thefts that happened in June and July 2015. Upon questioning them, they claimed that they had carried out the theft in the Umm Suqeim villas in collaboration with four other suspects, who were arrested shortly after that,” he testified to prosecutors.

A police major testified to prosecutors that during questioning the suspects admitted that they had thrown away some of the stolen items in the sea.

Parts of the stolen items were recovered at the house of one of the suspects, in one of the suspect’s car and in the safe that was dredged from the sea.

Presiding judge Jamal adjourned the case until one of the suspects presents his written defence on November 22.