5 gang members jailed over Dh932,600 heist

Five Chinese men have each been sentenced to three years in jail for breaking into a villa and robbing 13 watches and jewellery worth Dh872,600.
The Dubai Court of First Instance also ordered the deportation of the five gang members after completing their jail terms. The defendants, whose ages range from 24 to 37, earlier denied the charges in court, which also include stealing Dh60,000, $2,000 and £1,000 in cash.
The five men have been found guilty of trespass, robbery and damaging private property.
The villa in Umm Suqeim belongs to a 30-year-old Emirati man. "I left Dubai with my family on July 14, 2015, and came back two days later to find that the safe in my bedroom was forced open," he said.
He told the police that the safe had 13 watches, jewellery and large amounts of cash.
The complainant was later shown some of the valuables that had been robbed from his villa, at the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation.
"Many burglaries from villas were reported across Dubai. We followed them up and learned that the five accused were involved in the robbery from the villa in this case," a police captain said.
The convicts were arrested in Al Barsha and Deira. They admitted to targeting the villa after watching it for some time.
"The thieves made sure the residents were not at home after ringing the bell. One of them stayed outside to keep watch while the others climbed the fence and entered through the main door, which was not locked," the police officer said.
The police searched the defendants' flat in the International City and recovered some of the stolen valuables. Some amounts were also retrieved from another flat rented by two of them.
mary@khaleejtimes.com