Dubai: Two jobless men have been jailed for one year each for breaking into a Starbucks branch and stealing Dh18,000 from the safe.
A 24-year-old Yemeni man and his 28-year-old Uzbek accomplice drove their car to the Starbucks branch at Shaikh Zayed Road, used a screwdriver and a crowbar to break into the branch and stole the cash from the safe in January 2016.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendants of breaking into the café after wrecking the glass door, stealing cash and damaging the entrance and the safe.
According to Tuesday’s ruling, presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the defendants will be deported after serving their jail terms.
The Yemeni and Uzbek defendants had pleaded not guilty and denied being behind the theft.
The branch manager of Starbucks testified that he discovered the burglary at 5.30am when he reported to work.
“Once I reached the branch, I found the glass door smashed and that someone had broken into the shop. Upon checking the inside, I also found out that the burglars had wrecked the safe and stole Dh18,000 in cash. The door’s damage also cost Dh2,500,” he said.
A police lieutenant, who questioned the Uzbek defendant, testified: “The defendant claimed that he was present with the Yemeni accused at 3am when they parked their vehicle in front of the Starbucks branch.
He said that they carried a screwdriver and crowbar that they used to break the door and sneak into the shop … then they found the safe, broke it and stole money.
However, he alleged that they only stole Dh8,000. The Yemeni defendant was apprehended shortly after the other defendant … he also admitted that they stole Dh8,000 and split the money before they absconded.”
Meanwhile, a police corporal testified that when he questioned the Uzbek, the latter told him that they stole Dh7,000.
Police found the screwdriver and the crowbar that the defendants had used in the heist hidden in the car that they had rented for that purpose.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
