Dubai: A Chinese gang went on trial after being accused of breaking into a Dubai villa on New Year day and stealing more than Dh1.3 million.
The Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Tuesday that the three Chinese defendants, visitors to the UAE, broke into the villa in Al Barsha area and committed the burglary as the owner was out celebrating New Year.
In December last year, an Egyptian returned to his villa after midnight and discovered his house had been burgled.
“I was celebrating with my family. I returned to the villa and sat in the living room until 4am. It was only later that I went into my bedroom and discovered the break-in,” said the 52-year-old Egyptian owner.
He said Dh1.3 million in cash was missing from two bags in his bedroom. Some documents and expensive watches worth more than Dh55,000 were also gone.
“I checked the house and saw a break-in the glass door. I reported the incident to Dubai Police,” the owner added in records.
Police arrested the 58-year-old defendant who admitted to committing the robbery with other two countrymen.
“He said that he came to the country to conduct a series of villa burglaries. He used to drive a car and monitor the villas and the movements inside these villas,” an Emirati policeman said in records.
The gang targeted other villas too in Dubai, according to records.
The other two defendants fled the country leaving the money with the main defendant.
“He contacted a friend in China to send people to smuggle the money outside the UAE. A woman and two men arrived to collect the money and other stolen items but they were arrested.”
Dubai Public Prosecution charged the 58-year-old defendant and two others who are still at large with burglary.
The other three Chinese defendants – two men and a woman - were charged with possessing stolen items.
The next trial is on April 26.
