Dubai: A man locked a dog inside a bedroom during one of the three villa break-ins he was involved in and stole Dh1 million in jewellery and other valuables, a court heard on Wednesday.

A European couple, who left their dog in their Jumeirah villa and went out, returned at 9pm only to find the animal confined to one of the bedrooms.

The couple then discovered that they had been robbed, according to records, and were missing jewellery and valuables from their safe in December 2016.

The couple reported the matter to the police. During their investigation, the police found out that a break-in each had been reported in Umm Suqeim and Al Barsha.

A European businessman was said to have reported to the police that his home had been broken into, and his jewellery and valuables stolen.

An Asian merchant also reported that someone had broken into his residence and stolen jewellery, gold and valuables from his safe.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 36-year-old Chinese man had been involved in the break-ins; more than Dh14 million worth of valuables and jewellery had been stolen from these sites.

Police apprehended the Chinese man and referred him to the Public Prosecution.

Prosecutors accused him of breaking into three villas and stealing items worth more than Dh1 million.

Prosecutors charged the suspect in three separate cases.

According to the charge sheets, prosecutors said the suspect and his three countrymen fugitives used screwdrivers, hammers, crowbars, an iron cutter and an axe to force their way into the three villas and stole the valuables.

Prosecution records said the suspects took advantage of the fact that the residents were not in the villas when they climbed the walls, broke into the bedrooms and stole the valuables from safes. The suspect in custody pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Wednesday.

The suspect entered a similar plea in the two other cases.

He told presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi: “I do not remember what happened and whether I had committed that particular robbery because they had happened a long time ago.”

A police sergeant, who questioned the suspect, told prosecutors: “During questioning, the suspect alleged that he came with the three fugitives on visit visas to rob villas. He claimed that they rented a car, drove around villas, broke into empty ones and stole valuables. The thefts were carried out using the same modus operandi.”

The rulings in three cases will be heard on June 6.