Man sentenced to jail and deportation over phone theft in Dubai

Dubai: A Dubai court has sentenced an Asian man to one month in jail, fined him the value of the stolen phone, and ordered his deportation after finding him guilty of stealing a mobile phone worth Dh320 from a retail store — and attempting to repeat the same crime a month later, Emarat Al Youm reported.

According to case records, the man entered a large electronics store wearing a face mask to conceal part of his face. While browsing the mobile phone section, he noticed a handset that was not secured with a safety cable. Seizing the opportunity, he discreetly slipped it into his pocket and left the store undetected.

Court documents revealed that he later sold the stolen phone to a stranger he met on the street for Dh320.

About a month later, the defendant returned to the same store, apparently confident he could steal another device. Wearing a mask again, he roamed the aisles searching for an unsecured phone.

However, store employees, who had been on alert following the earlier theft, recognised his suspicious behaviour and detained him before handing him over to the police.

During questioning, the suspect admitted to the first theft but claimed he no longer knew the identity of the person who bought the phone.

He was referred to the Public Prosecution and later to the Misdemeanours Court, which convicted him of theft and sentenced him to one month in prison, a fine equal to the value of the stolen phone, and deportation after completing his sentence.