Five jailed for robbery at home of American professor

Five men who broke into an American professor’s house and stole jewellery, electronics and Dh15,000 in cash, have been sentenced to six months in prison by the Dubai Criminal Court.

The Sri Lankan men, aged between 29 and 49, were armed with screwdrivers and broke into the villa on July 11 last year after climbing over the wall.

They broke the locks to all of the rooms and stole gold jewellery, a diamond necklace, luxury watches, electronics, an old Omani dagger and the cash.

The villa owner told the court that he had left the country three days earlier.

They broke the locks and stole gold jewellery, a diamond necklace, luxury watches, electronics, an Omani dagger and Dh15,000

“I left the country with my family on July 8 and three days later I received a call from our gardener asking me if I had forgotten to lock the main door to the villa,” said the professor, 50.

The man asked his nephew in Sharjah to check on his house.

“He informed me that the villa definitely was robbed in our absence and he called the police,” the professor said.

Police tracked down two of the men and arrested them in Sharjah on July 17.

“During questioning, the two suspects told police about the rest of the defendants who were all arrested the same day,” an Emirati policeman said.

He said the five suspects were each taken to the villa and gave a similar account of what happened.

The officer said that the suspects also admitted to stealing from several other houses after ensuring the homeowners were away.

“They said they look out for unlit houses,” he said.

In court last March, the defendants denied charges of armed robbery. All were convicted and will be deported after serving their terms.