Insufficient evidence against 12 accused of stealing luxury cars in UAE: Lawyer

Abu Dhabi - 3 Emiratis and nine Arabs were caught late last year after complaints from rental car firms

12 men accused of stealing luxury cars from rental firms stood trial in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The lawyer has asked court to grant bail to his clients as they wait for a verdict stressing that there wasn't sufficient evidence to convict them of the charges.
The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance heard that the men, including three Emiratis working for a government department, and nine Arabs were caught late last year after police received complaints from rental car firms about a people who hired their expensive cars but never returned them after the expiry of the lease period.
Official court documents stated that the men had stolen expensive cars including a Lamborghini, Range Rover, Mercedes, Nissan Patrol and others. Six of the cars were stolen from rental car firms in Abu Dhabi while three of the cars were stolen from Dubai.
Prosecutors had charged the men with theft, forging official documents, and abuse of office for those that worked in the public department. All the men had denied the charges against them.
In the latest hearing on Tuesday, the lawyer representing the men said there was contradiction in the statements of the prosecution witnesses in regard to forgery and formation of an organised gang the theft of cars.
"I am requesting that my clients be granted bail so they stay out of jail as we wait for a ruling in the case," said the lawyer.
The defendants also continued to deny the charges against them stressing that they didn't participate in any criminal activity.
The first, sixth and ninth defendants have requested for more time to submit their new defence memoranda to the judge within a period of two weeks.
Police investigations had suggested that after hiring the cars from rental car firms, the men could take them to the Emirati men working in a government department who helped in forging customs documents.
"The men were changing two digits in the vehicle's serial number before they issued a customs certificate for the car," said a police officer.
"The gang then exported the luxury cars as new ones using false documents."
The men then shared the revenue earned from the sale of cars.
The trial was adjourned until November 12 for the verdict.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi