The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

Three countrymen skilled in breaking into taxis and decamping with proceeds will spend two years in jail plus deportation, the Dubai Criminal Court ruled on Tuesday.

The Asian defendant, 32, colleague, 27, and countryman, 28, used a screwdriver to smash quarter glasses of taxis (belonging to five firms) that had been parked behind a trading centre in Abu Hail area on the night of Sept.14.

They stole coins worth Dhs190 from one, Dhs120 bills from another, Dhs1, 200 from a third one and a wallet containing Dhs800, a national ID, driving permit, car ownership certificate and bank card from the fourth taxi.

They broke into the fifth taxi, combed it and found nothing worth stealing, prosecutors explained to the jury during a hearing on Jan.20. The court convicted them of burglary and damaging cars belonging to the five firms.

A Pakistani cabbie, 30, said he parked his taxi at parking lots behind the centre at around 9pm and returned at around 7am the next day only to find its quarter glass broken and Dhs190 stolen. He contacted the police. He valued the damage at Dhs120.

Another Pakistani said he parked his at 11:45pm and returned the next day. He noticed the glass smashed and Dhs1, 200 stolen from the armrest box. Policemen were at the scene investigating similar burglaries. He valued the cost of damage at Dhs400.

An Ethiopian cabbie said he parked there after midnight and returned around 12:30pm. His wallet containing cash and valuable cards including a health card were missing. He valued the cost of damage to the smashed glass at Dhs164.

An Emirati lieutenant said a source directed investigators to the defendant’s hideout in Al Qusais Industrial Area. He confessed before the police and later before prosecutors. He revealed that he, his cohort and countryman were behind the wave of taxi burglaries.

Records showed the cohort and countryman were apprehended in Sharjah over similar burglaries they conducted there.