Gang that stole Dhs500,000 cables claims coercion

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A gang of eight repeat offenders apprehended for robbing Dhs488,250 cables contended in court on Monday they were forced to confess.

The Asian men (aged between 21 and 40) broke into ten warehouses in Al Quoz Industrial area and decamped with electric cables and distribution boxes on the night of May 6, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

They used a screwdriver, a crowbar and scissors to break doorlocks. The warehouses belonged to the company of an Emirati businessman, 56. Prosecutors accused them of robbery and damaging property.

They refuted the allegations and argued that they never committed the crimes and that their alleged earlier confessions were obtained under duress. The ruling will be on Sept.30.

An Emirati warrant officer said investigations revealed the burglars accessed the warehouses by smashing their locks. They collected cables, extension systems and conversion devices. Police organised a pursuit team.

A source told police the men in question constituted a gang specialised in burgling warehouses. And that they had targeted warehouses in Bur Dubai using the same method of smashing locks using screwdrivers. They would monitor warehouses until they confirmed there were no security guards. They would use sharp tools to cut electric cables and carry them away. Police traced and netted them in Al Quoz on June 26.  

“During their arrest, I and the police team showed them our military IDs,” explained the warrant officer. “However, they posed fierce resistance upon realising we were policemen. They attempted to escape.”

The police team managed to pin them down and refer them to the competent investigations body. During interrogations, they reportedly confessed and revealed they were behind a wave of similar robberies.

One of the gang members took the warrant officer to the warehouses in question and confirmed he and the others broke into them.  Each of the other members took other policemen and made similar confessions.