The Dubai Criminal Court on Tuesday charged two Arab visitors with stealing the contents of a sports bag containing a mobile phone, and threatening the owner with publishing her videos and pictures on the phone, in return for Dhs2,000.

The court allegedly charged the suspects with violating the privacy of the victim through an information technology means and transferring visual material from her mobile phone to smart devices.

The first suspect stole the bag from the victim while she was at the bus station. The bag contained money, jewellery, valuable accessories, and an old phone, estimated at more than Dhs20,000.

The victim was waiting for the bus and the first suspect offered her help in carrying her bags and putting them on the bus, so she agreed. He allegedly put the two bags in the designated place on the bus. He then told her that he put the bags in place, but she doubted him due to his strange behaviour during the conversation, but she was in a hurry and went up quickly to the bus.

When she reportedly reached her destination, she was shocked when she discovered her bag was not there. She asked the driver, who told her the suspect did not get on the bus. She then reported the incident to the police, and it was found that the cameras at the bus station were not working.

Days later, she received a message from a person, who turned out to be the second suspect, telling her he got her phone from the first suspect, adding that he accessed it. He then threatened her with publishing the photos and videos of her and her friends, and then blackmailed her by asking for Dhs2,000.

Recently, an Asian foreman, 28, seized the chance of supervising a group of workers installing solar panels to enter a villa and stealing two diamond rings.

The victim, the villa owner, informed the police, who arrested the defendant. Dubai Public Prosecution then referred the defendant to the Dubai Criminal Court, which heard the case and charged the defendant with theft.