DUBAI // Four French engineers who crawled under a metal fence to take predawn pictures of their work site from the Burj Dubai have been charged with breaking and entering. The group said they wanted to take pictures of Metro Dubai, a project they were working on, from the highest point of the tallest building in the world. The Dubai Court of Misdemeanour charged the men, TJ, 24, DB, 24, MK, 24 and CM, 27, with breaking and entering during their first hearing yesterday. The men have admitted they were at fault and are expected to be sentenced next month. The Burj Dubai will boast a minimum of 160 floors, an Armani hotel and 144 ultra-luxury residential suites once completed. The site is still under heavy construction.
The security breach happened on May 16. IJ, 40, an Indian who was on duty as head of security, told prosecutors the four defendants walked up to the main entrance of the building at 4.15am, claiming they had an appointment with someone at the top floor of the building. The men were then told there was no one inside and they were not allowed in, said the security guard. "At around 4.45am I saw the four men inside the premises," the guard told prosecutors. "After examination, it was discovered the men entered through the backside of the building. They crawled under the metal fence." @Email:rbaker@thenational.ae