DUBAI // Two jobless friends broke into a pet shop and stole three German Shepherd dogs to give as gifts to an Omani actress, Dubai Criminal Court heard.
Emirati S S, 28, and K D, 26, who holds a Comoros Islands passport, are charged with robbery and with causing Dh2,300 worth of damage to the shop.
Prosecutors said that on October 22 this year, they used an object to break the shop’s glass facade to gain entry.
Police received a report of the incident at 6.30am that day.
“I was contacted by police who told me the shop was robbed, so I headed there and found that three German Shepherd dogs were missing, as well as their three food bags and Dh2,000 in cash taken from the drawer after it had been forced,” said Syrian M A, 42.
Omani actress B A, 29, testified that during October the defendants visited her at her residence at Dubai Investment City and gave her three dogs, telling her they were a gift.
“I am friends with S S, and about two days after he gave me the dogs we were together when police came and arrested him,” B A said.
She added that police told her the dogs were stolen from the Petzone shop in Al Barsha.
Emirati policeman T J, 35, said that both men confessed in custody. “We arrested K D first. When asked about the incident, he said he did it. Then we arrested S S and he also confessed to stealing the dogs,” T J said.
Prosecutors said both men confessed during interrogation. In court yesterday, S S admitted both charges and told the court that he stole the animals to give them to his fiancee.
K D denied the charges.
A verdict is expected later.
salamir@thenational.ae