Dubai: Man sets fire to luxury hotel apartment, broadcasts act on social media

Dubai Police has arrested a man of Gulf origin for vandalising a luxury apartment in Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai.

The man broadcast the vandalism 'live' on social media with two accomplices. He was accompanied by a woman who claims to be his sister and a man that looked like a cleric and was talking about black magic.

There were several videos put up on his account, in which he was seen burning parts of the room, and setting fire to the furniture. In some, he even shared personal details of hotel employees and their numbers.

Monther Darwish, executive partner of Palazzo Versace Hotel said to Emarat Al Youm that this wasn't the first time that such an incident had occurred.

Darwish said that he had taken several steps to deter the man. The establishment had issued 11 reports against him in the Bur Dubai Police Station. The man had also been arrested twice, for a few days each, but always returned more notorious than before.

He added that there are certain apartments in the hotel which have been sold to people. The suspect had approached the owner and had rented one of those, a year ago.

Around three months ago, the man began creating issues by bothering residents and staff of the hotel.

Darwish also said that the apartment was largely destroyed and that the owner had been contacted for violating the rules and regulations of the hotel.