Source: Emirates Today – Misdemeanor Court – Dubai
The Dubai Misdemeanor Court has sentenced an Asian national to two years in prison and ordered his deportation from the country after convicting him of stealing fuel worth 20 dirhams from the tank of a delivery motorcycle left by its rider outside the company where he works.
The court also sentenced him to an additional one month in prison for consuming alcoholic beverages.
In detail, the Dubai Misdemeanor Court ruled to imprison the 39-year-old defendant for two years and one month, fine him 20 dirhams, and deport him from the country. He was convicted of stealing fuel from a motorcycle, using the vehicle without its owner’s permission, and being intoxicated in a public place.
Court documents stated that the incident took place in the Al Quoz Industrial Area 4, when the victim left his motorcycle in front of his workplace for a few minutes without removing the key while he went inside to receive a delivery.
During this short period, the defendant took advantage of the darkness and quiet, managed to start the motorcycle, and rode it away.
According to the court’s established findings, the defendant did not only ride the motorcycle but also took it to another location near a shopping center. There, he stopped it and siphoned fuel from its tank using a tube, transferring it to his own motorcycle after discovering it had run out of fuel. He then abandoned the vehicle and left the area.
Investigations revealed that the defendant was intoxicated at the time of the incident and had consumed alcoholic beverages in a public place, which he himself admitted.
The victim stated during investigations that he left the motorcycle for a few minutes and, upon returning, found it missing. He immediately reported the incident to the police, who later recovered it. He also discovered that fuel had been stolen from the tank, which was confirmed by investigations.
The defendant admitted during questioning to committing the act, claiming that he initially thought the motorcycle was his due to his state of intoxication, but later realized it was not. Despite this, he still took the fuel, which the court considered proof of criminal intent to commit theft.
The court affirmed that criminal intent in theft is established when the offender knowingly takes property belonging to others without consent and with the intention of ownership, and that such intent can be inferred from circumstances and behavior rather than requiring separate proof.
It also stated that it has the authority to evaluate evidence and determine the true facts of the case based on all materials presented, noting that the defendant’s confession, along with the victim’s statement and investigations, formed consistent and sufficient evidence for conviction.
The court explained that the crimes of theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle were closely linked and stemmed from a single criminal act, requiring the harsher penalty to be applied, while the offense of intoxication was punished separately.
The court concluded by sentencing the defendant to two years in prison for theft and unauthorized vehicle use, one additional month for intoxication, imposing a fine equal to the value of the stolen fuel, and ordering his deportation after serving the sentence.