Dubai: A worker has been accused of robbing a supermarket after he locked himself inside until closing time and then stole Dh30,000 in cash, phone cards and Nol cards. He then smashed the backside door to abscond.

The 22-year-old Indian worker was said to have entered the supermarket in Hor Al Anz as a customer 10 minutes prior to closure in October. Then he hid himself behind a load of boxes until after the supermarket staff left, according to records.

A security guard at the building where the supermarket is located discovered the broken door at 3am and notified the manager, who reported it to the police.

Police investigation led to the arrest of the Indian worker from Sharjah.

Prosecutors accused the 22-year-old of stealing and intentionally wrecking the backside door when he fled after the robbery.

The suspect pleaded guilty when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Thursday. According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the suspect used a hammer that he found in the supermarket and broke the thick glass of the back door to escape.

Prosecutors accused the worker and another suspect who remains at large of carrying out the theft.

A policeman told prosecutors that the suspect was identified after his fingerprints matched with those lifted from the crime scene.

“Police raided his house in Sharjah and apprehended him. During questioning, he admitted that he had agreed with the runaway to steal from the supermarket. He claimed that 10 minutes prior to closing time, he entered the supermarket and hid inside … then when the staff locked the place and left, he came out and stole the cash and cards from the cash register. Then he broke the backside door with a hammer, according to his statement, and ran away. He further alleged that he shared the cash with the runaway suspect. Police seized some of the stolen phone cards and Nol cards from his residence,” the policeman told prosecutors.

The supermarket’s Indian manager testified to prosecutors that he rushed to the shop at 3am and reported the theft to the police.

The trial continues.