Man to be deported for stealing Dh3,000 laptop from Dubai store

Dubai: A Dubai court has sentenced an Asian national to one month in jail and ordered his deportation after convicting him of stealing a laptop worth nearly Dh3,000 from a major retail store.

Court records show that the defendant took advantage of a busy period inside the store, where staff were preoccupied assisting customers and electronic devices were openly displayed. 

He headed to the electronics section, removed the security tag from a laptop, quickly discarded it, concealed the device and left the premises, despite the store being fully covered by surveillance cameras.

Two days later, according to Emarat Al Youm, a security supervisor reviewed CCTV footage and identified the theft, prompting a police report. Investigators subsequently tracked down the suspect and arrested him.

During questioning by Dubai’s Public Prosecution, the defendant admitted to the theft. However, when the case reached the misdemeanours court, he retracted his confession, claiming that another person had committed the crime and asking the court for leniency.

The court rejected his defence, ruling that the evidence was conclusive, citing surveillance footage and the defendant’s earlier admission. It found him guilty of theft and sentenced him to one month in prison, ordered him to pay Dh2,999 as compensation for the stolen laptop, and ruled that he be deported from the UAE upon completion of his sentence.