Gang robs watches, jewellery worth Dh219,000 from Dubai villa

Dubai - The Dubai Court of First Instance ordered the deportation of the defendants after completing their jail terms.

Four Dubai expats have been sentenced to three years in jail each by a Dubai court after they were found guilty of robbing Dh219,000 worth of valuables from a villa.
Prosecutors accused three men, all Kyrgyzstanis, of forming a gang to target vacant villas and robbing watches and jewellery worth Dh219,000 from a villa in Palm Jumeirah in January this year.
Apart from the charge of robbery at night with the use of sharp tools, the three men, aged between 29 and 34, were also accused of trespassing, damaging private property and possessing stolen valuables. A 31-year-old fourth accomplice, of the same nationality, was accused of possessing the stolen items. He received the same jail sentence as the trio.
The Dubai Court of First Instance ordered the deportation of the defendants after completing their jail terms.
The incident was reported to Al Barsha police station.
The four gang members have been detained.
A police lieutenant said the incident was reported at 9pm on January 4. "The villa owner was in the UK while his Indian driver had also travelled back home with his family at the time of the incident. Robbers broke into the villa and stole jewellery from three safes. We received reliable information that the defendants were involved in the robbery as well as in other similar crimes. They left the UAE shortly after."
The police issued arrest warrants against them.
The defendants had stayed in a hotel room in the Lakes area. Sharp tools used to break-in and forcibly open safes were found there.
However, the police arrested the three main accused around 4pm on February 26.
At 6.30pm on the same day, the fourth defendant was nabbed. The stolen jewellery was found in a bag in his possession.
The ruling has been appealed.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai