UAE: Maid, boyfriend get 3 months in jail for stealing cash, jewellery

The Al Ain Criminal Court has sentenced an Ethiopian maid and her boyfriend to three months in prison, followed by deportation, for carrying out several thefts from her employer’s villa.

Court records show that the 25-year-old maid, identified as M.T.A., conspired with her boyfriend, A.S.A., 30, to enter the villa and steal valuables, including Dh5,000 in cash and jewellery. The crimes took place on multiple occasions, with the boyfriend attempting to enter the property four times.

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The case dates back to May 25, 2025, when the employer lodged a complaint at Falaj Hazza Police Station. She reported that her recently hired maid had colluded with an outsider to gain access to her room. The theft came to light when a part-time maid informed the employer of suspicious activity inside the villa.

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Upon returning home, the employer and her sister reviewed surveillance footage, which revealed the Ethiopian man attempting to enter the house on multiple occasions. Investigation officers later examined security camera footage from the street outside. They also gathered additional evidence from a neighbour who found a jewellery box that had been dropped by the suspect while fleeing through his backyard.

Police arrested the maid, who admitted during interrogation that she had known the man before joining her employer. She confessed that he had pressured her into stealing so they could quickly collect money, return to Ethiopia, and get married. She also admitted to previously taking small items such as gold chains, rings, and earrings belonging to the employer’s young daughters, convincing her employer that they were merely misplaced.

With the help of an informant, investigators tracked down the boyfriend. Although he initially denied any involvement, the man eventually confessed after being confronted with surveillance footage and the maid’s detailed testimony.

The court convicted both defendants and ordered their deportation after completing their prison term.