Court Jails and Deports Repeat Offender for Stealing Phone Twice from Same Store

A Dubai court has sentenced an Asian man to one month in jail, fined him the value of a stolen phone, and ordered his deportation after he was found guilty of stealing a mobile phone worth Dh320 from a retail store -- and attempting to commit the same crime a month later, Emarat Al Youm reported.

According to case records, the man entered a large electronics shop wearing a face mask to conceal his identity. While browsing the mobile section, he spotted a handset that was not secured with a safety cable. Taking advantage of the situation, he discreetly slipped it into his pocket and left without being noticed. Investigations revealed that he later sold the stolen phone to a stranger on the street for Dh320.

About a month later, the defendant returned to the same store, apparently confident he could steal another device. Once again wearing a mask, he wandered through the aisles looking for an unsecured phone.

However, store employees, who had been on alert after the earlier theft, recognised his suspicious behaviour and detained him before handing him over to the police.

During questioning, the suspect admitted to the first theft but claimed he no longer knew the identity of the person who bought the phone.

He was referred to the Public Prosecution and then to the Misdemeanours Court, which convicted him of theft and sentenced him to one month in prison, a fine equivalent to the value of the stolen phone, and deportation after serving his sentence.