Dubai: A Dubai domestic worker has been accused of stealing three expensive watches worth Dh640,000 from a well-known Emirati footballer’s house.
The Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Thursday that the 36-year-old Bangladeshi defendant, who works as a chef in the victim’s house at Bur Dubai, stole a small safe inside the bedroom on May 2020, which contained a rare watch worth Dh420,000, besides two other watches worth Dh200,000 and Dh20,000. The defendant also stole a bag worth Dh10,000.
“The defendant used to do the laundry, iron my clothes and put it in my closet. I was surprised when my safe went missing. I suspected the defendant as he is the only one who enters my room,” said the 29-year-old Emirati footballer.
The victim confronted the defendant asking him to return the safe or he would report the incident to the police. The defendant asked him for time to return it.
“Later, I discovered that his fingerprints matched the one in the closet where the safe was,” he added.
The victim reported the incident to Dubai Police who arrested the defendant.
A 40-year-old Emirati policeman testified that the defendant denied stealing the safe, claiming that he was a chef and did not enter the bedroom.
“After matching the fingerprints taken from the crime scene, the defendant admitted to stealing the safe. He claimed that he couldn’t open it and throw it in the bin outside the house,” said the policeman in official records.
It is not clear in records what happened to the safe or if the watches were recovered.
Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the defendant with theft.
The verdict is expected later this month.
