Power outage on Dubai bridge after thieves steal cables

Four men allegedly stole power cables worth Dh98,000 belonging to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), causing power outage on a bridge leading to the Emirates Road, a Dubai court has heard.

The four Pakistani men, aged between 21 and 35, are accused of opening the cover of a box containing the cables, cutting them out with large scissors and fleeing the place after loading the material in their vehicle. They caused a blackout on a bridge in Jebel Ali after they damaged the power cable installations.

They pleaded not guilty in the Court of First Instance to charges of robbery with the use of a sharp tool and damage of public property.

The case dates back to September 8 last year. The incident was reported by an Indian contractual maintenance supervisor, who discovered the power outage and the damaged cables.

"Before September 2017, we received several reports on power cable theft incidents in Dubai. The cables were in boxes that are easily opened. The defendants had been convicted in a similar theft incident and we brought them to the Criminal Investigation Department," a police lieutenant said.

According to the police officer, the main accused admitted they stole cables belonging to the RTA in Dubai. "They would go early in the morning to bridges in Jebel Ali and on the Sheikh Zayed Road.

"They would use the vehicle of one of them and steal the cables after lifting the box cover with a piece of metal. They would then go to Sharjah, where they would sell it and split the money. The other accomplices denied the charges," the officer told the prosecutor.

The four men are currently in detention.

The trial in this case has been adjourned to April 5.

The same four men are accused in another theft case of cables worth more than Dh12,000 on a bridge leading to Jebel Ali-Lahbab. The theft also caused power failure on that road.

They denied charges of robbery with the use of sharp tool and damage of public property. The court adjourned the hearing in this case to April 5 as well.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

Marie Nammour

mary@khaleejtimes.com