Sentences increased for armed gang in Dh35m Dubai robbery

Four men convicted of breaking into a villa, tying up a security guard at gunpoint and stealing valuables worth Dh35 million will each serve five years in prison instead of three, the Dubai Court of Appeals has ruled.

On July 3 the four – an Emirati soldier, 34, an unemployed Emirati, 29, a Yemeni policeman, 48, and a Somali policeman, 40 – staged an early morning raid on the home of an Emirati trader, 40, in Al Garhoud, Dubai.

The men were armed with two guns, a hammer, screwdriver, electric saw and another sharp tool. They subdued the villa’s Pakistani watchman, 24, and tied him up before breaking into two safes.

“Four masked men made their way inside the villa,” the guard told the Dubai Criminal Court last year. “Two of them were carrying guns while shouting ‘Police’.I tried to tell them I was the watchman but they refused to listen.

“They tied me up with plastic cables and questioned me in Urdu whether there was anyone else home. They shoved me down and dragged me inside the villa’s extension but one remained guarding me while the others went back to the villa.”

The watchman said he escaped to the street, where a taxi driver untied him. He reported the raid to police.

At the Criminal Court in September, three of the accused denied an armed robbery charge while the fourth admitted to the crime and testified against the others. “They were with me,” he said.

The man told the court that they stole 300 luxury watches worth a total of Dh20m, and antique jewellery from the homeowner, who collected and sold valuables.

The men also stole antiques and manuscripts, a $150,000 rare copy of the Quran, a Dh1m lady’s handbag embroidered with a Cartier watch and cheques. Other items in the haul included power of attorney letters, and 250 gold, steel and diamond-studded Rolex watches worth Dh4.8m.

Dubai Criminal Court sentenced the men to three years in jail each last year but prosecutors appealed and sought a harsher sentence.

The two expatriates will be deported after serving their prison terms.