A suitcase full of gold, a Dubai robbery and a gang jailed by their own getaway car

DUBAI // Five men who stole gold worth about Dh8 million were today each sentenced to three years in prison.

The five Nigerians shadowed three men who arrived at Dubai International Airport from Mali on December 21 last year carrying six suitcases containing 210 kilograms of golden plates. They followed the trio to a hotel in Deira. As the men were checking in one of the Nigerians grabbed a suitcase and ran off.

The owner of the case, A N, tried to chase the thief but was accosted by two other men who assaulted him before fleeing.

The thieves drove off, but the owner noted the car’s licence plate. Police found images of them on the hotel’s surveillance cameras and traced the getaway car to a rental office in Sharjah.

The thieves were arrested at their flat in Sharjah, where some of the gold plates were found hidden in stereo speakers.

Emirati police officer H M, 47, said another 10 gold plates were found at a shipping office after the thieves tried to send them to their families in Nigeria.

At the Criminal Court D A, 42, E S, 27, E E, 26, F A, 30 and A S, 28 confessed to a charge of forceful robbery. They will be deported after serving their terms.

salamir@thenational.ae