Ethiopian Maid and Boyfriend Jailed in Al Ain for Repeated Villa Thefts

The Al Ain Criminal Court has sentenced an Ethiopian maid and her boyfriend to three months in prison, followed by deportation, after finding them guilty of repeatedly stealing cash and jewellery from her employer’s villa.

Court records show that the 25-year-old maid conspired with her boyfriend, 30, to break into the property and steal valuables, including Dh5,000 in cash and jewellery. The boyfriend was caught on camera attempting to enter the villa on four separate occasions.

The case began on May 25, 2025, when the employer filed a complaint at Falaj Hazza Police Station after a part-time maid reported suspicious activity inside the villa. Surveillance footage later confirmed the Ethiopian man’s repeated attempts to access the house. Additional evidence emerged when a neighbour found a jewellery box dropped by the suspect while fleeing through his yard.

Police arrested the maid, who admitted she knew the man before her employment and confessed that he had pressured her into the thefts so they could raise money, return to Ethiopia, and marry. She also revealed that she had earlier stolen small gold items belonging to her employer’s children, convincing the family they had been misplaced.

Investigators, with the help of an informant, tracked down the boyfriend. Although he initially denied involvement, he confessed after being confronted with video evidence and the maid’s testimony.

Both defendants were convicted and ordered to be deported once their prison terms are complete.