Failed armed robber claims Dubai theft attempt was a joke

A jobless Emirati who failed in his attempt to rob even though he was armed with two knives and his victims were defenceless -- told the court that the failed roibbery was a joke. 

He had allegedly threatened workers in their accommodation with two knives, but was caught by his victims when he left the weapons on a desk to pick a laptop he saw on one of the beds, the Dubai Criminal Court heard. 

AKI, 23, is accused of theft attempted with threat of weapon and threatening workers in their accommodation to hand him over their wallets and mobile sets on October 26, 2011. 

One of the victims, SM, 27, Sri Lankan testified that he woke up at around 7.45am in a room where three others were also sleeping. 

“A man holding two knives in his hand asked us to sit on one bed and to hand over  wallets and mobile phones. We obeyed his order and gave him the wallets which did not contain much amount. He removed the SIM cards. He saw a laptop and asked my colleague SR to switch it on for him. He put the mobiles in the laptop’s bag and while he was watching SR, he saw another laptop on another the bed. 

"The attacker put the knives on the desk and went to pick up the laptop from the bed. SR took the knives and the rest of us jumped on him and tied his hands with a piece of cloth and called the police,” he testified. 

The other victims PT, 23, SN, 30, MK, 25, repeated the testimony. 

First Corporal Mohammed Abdullah testified that the accused denied the theft attempt and claimed that he was joking with the victims as he knows one of the workers who stays in the place. 

The court adjourned the case for verdict on March 27.

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