Dubai chainsaw safe crackers jailed

Five Afghans and a Pakistani man are behind bars after stealing Dh60,000 in cash from the safe of a fabrics store.

DUBAI // Six men charged with breaking into a safe using a chainsaw and stealing Dh60,000 have been imprisoned.

Afghan H A, 32, told the Dubai Criminal Court judge that the safe contained Dh22,000 and that he stole it with compatriots A K, 41, S A, 41, A K K, 28, M M, 36, and Pakistani S K, 27.

Prosecutors said the defendants broke into a fabrics store in Naif on November 21 last year and used a chainsaw to open the safe.

Afghan store owner M R K said that the gang stole Dh60,000 as well as several passports and trade and work licences.

Police were able to identify the gang from CCTV footage in the store and from the surrounding area.

They all pleaded guilty to the charge of armed theft and they were each sentenced to six months in jail, to be followed by deportation.