'Law is too strict' to be a thief, Abu Dhabi court told

Man accused of burglary is cleared after arguing UAE laws are too strict for him to dare such an act.

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ABU DHABI // A man was cleared of burglary after arguing the law was too strict for him to have dared to commit such an crime.

Prosecutors said that YM, from Egypt, had pounded on the door of a villa and when the owner answered, he stormed inside and tried to steal a number of items.

But the accused told the Appeals Court the villa owner had made up the accusation after they had an argument in the street.

"I was here on a visit visa and I have children back in Egypt - why would I do such a thing?" he said. "It's not like the UAE laws are lenient that I would dare do such a thing."

He said he had been walking in the street when he came face to face with the villa owner, who was walking with his mother.

"He gave me a dirty look so I started a fight with him," the Egyptian said.

"Then, when we arrived at the police station, he came up with the whole villa scenario."

The Egyptian said that if he had planned to break into the villa, he would not have knocked on the door.

"Yes, thieves don't usually knock and enter from the front door," the judge agreed.

However, he criticised the Egyptian for making such a "a big deal" out of the "dirty look".