Dubai: Six jobless men have been jailed for three years each for breaking into a villa and stealing Dh40,000 and 34 valuable items.
The six Sri Lankan men, aged between 27 and 40, broke into an Emirati man’s villa, while he and his family were out, broke the safe and stole cash, jewellery and gold artefacts in November 2015.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the six men of stealing and causing damages to the villa and other goods.
The defendants had pleaded innocent.
Records said the accused used a crowbar to enter the villa and steal Dh40,000, jewellery, gold and silver bracelets and precious stones.
They also wrecked the bedroom, kitchen and safe in the villa in Al Qouz.
Presiding judge Urfan Omar said the six defendants will be deported following the completion of their punishments.
The Emirati villa owner said the incident happened on a Saturday when he took his family to spend a day out in Dubai.
“When we returned home at 11pm, we discovered that a thief or more had broken into our villa and stolen our valuables. I also found the safe, where we had kept the valuables, broken as well,” he testified.
A police lieutenant testified that the victim provided them with a list of 34 items that were stolen.
“Primary interrogations revealed that the defendants had been involved in the heist. The six Sri Lankans were arrested. During questioning, they all confessed that they broke into the villa after they broke down the kitchen door … then they broke into the safe and stole the valuables,” the lieutenant said.
Monday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
