Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

An Ethiopian maid and her boyfriend have been sentenced to three months in prison, followed by deportation, for conspiring to steal jewellery and cash from her employer’s villa in Al Ain. Court records show that the maid, identified as M.T.A., 25, colluded with her boyfriend, A.S.A., 30, to commit multiple thefts. On one occasion, they stole Dh5,000 in cash and jewellery, while the boyfriend attempted to break into the property on at least four separate occasions. The case began on May 25,when the employer filed a complaint at Falaj Hazza Police Station. Suspicious activity was first flagged by a part-time maid, prompting the employer and her sister to review CCTV footage. The video showed the Ethiopian man trying to enter the villa. Additional evidence came from a neighbour who found a jewellery box dropped by the suspect while fleeing through his backyard. Police later arrested the maid, who admitted that she had known the man before employment and that he pressured her to steal so they could “collect money, return to Ethiopia, and get married.” Investigators tracked down the boyfriend with the help of an informant. Though he initially denied involvement, he confessed after being confronted with CCTV footage and his partner’s testimony. Both were convicted by the Al Ain Criminal Court and ordered deported after serving their sentence. CAM/Expat Media
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