Abu Dhabi Police arrest four over Dh2.6m robbery

Four Filipina women, three of whom are domestic workers, have been arrested over a robbery of Dh2.6 million from the home of a sponsor.

ABU DHABI // Abu Dhabi Police have arrested four people, three of whom are domestic workers, over a robbery of more than Dh2 million from a home of a sponsor.

Police accuse the Filipina women of stealing the money while the sponsor was abroad with his family.

Col Ahmed bin Zaitoun Al Muhairi, acting director of the police directorate in the capital, said the family had been abroad for nearly three weeks. One maid, who is a main suspect, is accused of plotting the robbery with two other maids in the household, and a friend who did not work in the home.

The family returned from their trip abroad to find that Dh2.6 million had been stolen, then reported the incident to Khalidiyah Police Station, he said.

Col Muslim Al Ameri, head of Khalidiyah Police Station, urged families and individuals not to leave large amounts of money at their homes, and highlighted the importance of using surveillance cameras and alarms, as well as locking doors and windows.

“Any violations should be reported without delay as this helps to catch the perpetrators,” police said.

Col Al Muhairi warned people about what they described as “excessive trust” in domestic workers that he said could lead to robberies. He urged home owners and families to keep their money and valuables in a safe place, such as in a bank, particularly when travelling abroad, saying that most burglaries occur during the summer months when families travel.

The four suspects were referred to the public prosecution.