Drunk tourist jailed for theft of laptop 'to check e-mail'

DUBAI //A drunk tourist who walked into a hotel conference room and stole a US$1,000 (Dh3,672) laptop "so he could check his e-mail" has been jailed for a month.

JP, 24, from France, was also fined Dh1,000 after he was found guilty of theft and illegal consumption of alcohol by the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours on Thursday.

JP walked into The Four Points Sheraton hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road shortly after dawn on February 22, after drinking seven bottles of beer and several vodka shots at a bar in Bur Dubai.

"I don't know why this hotel in particular, it seems I was too drunk," JP said.

Finding more than 20 laptops that had been set out for an IT conference, he took an ASUS model and left, walking to a nearby bench and attempting to use the equipment. However, he did not have the login password and, finding he was unable to use the laptop, he fell asleep.

The laptop's owner, an Australian IT manager, said that when he could not find the laptop he informed hotel security.

A guard had seen JP take the laptop, and the hotel reported the incident to police. JP was arrested that day. He will be deported after serving his term.

salamir@thenational.ae