Hotel worker stole cash and camera, court told

DUBAI // A receptionist at Atlantis The Palm stole Dh2,000 (US$544) of the hotel's money and a guest's video camera, prosecutors told the Criminal Court of First Instance yesterday. AA, a 31-year-old Egyptian, who did not appear in court, is charged with stealing the money from a staff area at the hotel as well as with taking a camera that a guest had left behind. According to the prosecution, when hotel security workers confronted AA about stealing money, he admitted committing that offence and also confessed to the theft of a video camera.

The head of security, a 42-year-old Sri Lankan, told the court that on July 8, an assistant manager informed him that an envelope containing Dh14,000 in hotel funds had been found in the staff locker room. An investigation revealed that Dh2,000 had been taken from the envelope. Prosecutors said the defendant had been seen on closed-circuit television taking the money before handing in the remaining amount.

According to prosecution records, the defendant said that he took the camera only because a guest had left it behind. The presiding judge, El Saeed Bargouth, adjourned the proceedings until later this month, when AA is expected to appear in court. [e-mail]