'Bin bag burglar' jailed for six months

DUBAI // A cleaner who disguised himself using big bags so he could burgle the restaurant where he worked was today sentenced to six months in jail.

The Criminal Court also sentenced PA's accomplice JM, to six months in prison. The two men, both 22-year-olds from Bangladesh, will be deported following their sentences.

The two were employed to clean Fabiano restaurant and a number of other premises at Dubai Mall. After cleaning the restaurant on a shift in June they left the premises as usual. However, they returned at about 2am with one of them wearing large plastic bin bags to cover his body and face. He opened the cashier's till and took Dh35,000 before leaving.

Employees called police after discovering the theft and officers found video footage from the restaurant of the theft taking place. Further recordings from the mall showed the thief taking off the bin bag and meeting with the other cleaner, who was providing a lookout.

Prosecutors said that the two cleaners learnt to open the till by watching the restaurant's accountant.

salamir@thenational.ae