Dubai shop-looters tie-up staff, attack cops, flee with Dh1.6m

Three Georgians are on trial at Dubai Criminal Court for allegedly attacking policemen in Deira and causing 35 per cent permanent disability to one of them, before fleeing with Dh1.6m.

The court heard on Tuesday that the incident took place on November 6, 2013 at about 2.20 pm when police patrol was investigating a complaint of car theft.

The Court of First Instance sentenced each of the accused to three years in jail and in October last year the Appeals Court had upheld the sentence.

Now, the accused are being prosecuted for intentionally assaulting a person and causing him permanent disability. Dubai Prosecution has sought the stiffest penalty.

Abdullah Salman, policeman, testified in court, “We reached the location and asked the driver to stay away in order to take finger prints from the car. We wanted to check if there were CCTV cameras in the area to help identify the thieves, so my colleague headed to a nearby shop. After about a minute I noticed a man running out from that shop so I ran after him.

“When I reached the shop, someone opened the door in my face, I closed the door and looked inside to see what was going on since my colleagues were still inside. But I could not see anything as the front glass door had an advertisement sticker. However, I could see a man who was trying to open the door which he was still holding.

“Then two more men joined the first one and they pushed opened the door and kicked me. One of them pointed a knife at my neck and tore off my dress and pushed me to the ground. The attackers managed to run away. ”

Salman then helped himself up only to find his colleague inside was lying bleeding from the neck and nose and all workers at the shop were tied up. He called the Operation Room for support, meanwhile, helped free the tie-up men.

The workers reported that four men had entered the shop and one of them cut the telephone wire when one of the workers’ tried calling for help. Then the suspects allegedly tied the workers’ hands with plastic ropes.

The attackers allegedly stole Dh1.6m from the shop and put it in a bag they had brought along.

The workers’ said that the suspects were shocked when First Sergeant Ibrahim Hassan entered the shop. The officer was looking for CCTV cameras that may help identify the thieves who stole from the car outside.

They attacked the officer by knife and then rushed to the door when Salman came looking for his colleague and they prevented him from entering.

Medical report stated that policeman Salman sustained 35 per cent rate permanent disability in his neck and knee.

Later, the three accused -  BJ, 26, painter; GK, 36 and GM, 24, both visitors ­- together with their accomplices were arrested.

The court will reconvene on February 22.

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