Four Pakistani nationals accused of stealing power cables in Dubai

The four men are also accused in another case of stealing cables worth more than Dh12,000


News Desk March 20, 2018
The four men are also accused in another case of stealing cables worth more than Dh12,000 on a bridge leading to Jebel Ali-Lahbab causing power failure on the road. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

Four Pakistani nationals allegedly stole power cables worth Dh98,000 (approximately Rs2,940,000) in Dubai, leaving a busy bridge out of electricity, Khaleej Times reported.

The four accused, aged between 21 and 35, are accused of opening the cover of a box containing the cables, cutting them and fleeing the location after loading the material in their vehicle causing a blackout on a bridge in Jebel Ali after damaging the power cable installations, a Dubai court has heard.

They appealed not guilty in the Court of First Instance to charges of robbery with the use of a sharp tool and damage of public property.

The incident was reported on September 8 last year. An Indian contractual maintenance supervisor reported the power outage and the damaged cables.

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"Before September 2017, we received several reports on power cable theft incidents in Dubai. The cables were in boxes that are easily opened. The defendants had been convicted in a similar theft incident and we brought them to the Criminal Investigation Department," a police lieutenant said.

The police officer said that the main accused confessed the misconduct. "They would go early in the morning to bridges in Jebel Ali and on the Sheikh Zayed Road,” he added.

"They would use the vehicle of one of them and steal the cables after lifting the box cover with a piece of metal. They would then go to Sharjah, where they would sell it and split the money. The other accomplices denied the charges," the officer told the prosecutor.

Four of them are currently in detention; they denied charges of robbery with the use of sharp tool and damage of public property.

The court adjourned the hearing to April 5.

The four men are also accused in another case of stealing cables worth more than Dh12,000 on a bridge leading to Jebel Ali-Lahbab causing power failure on that road.

The article originally appeared on Khaleej Times.

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