Maids 'burgled' babysitting grandma

DUBAI // Two maids and a salesman burgled the house of a babysitting grandma, snatching a toddler from her arms before gagging her, tying her up and stealing Dh200,000 worth of valuables, a court heard today.

Prosecutors told the Dubai Criminal Court that the salesman MO, 27, and the two maids NF, 25 and FH, 27, knocked on the door of the woman's Mirdiff home on the morning of March 20 and grabbed her when she answered.

"My 18-month-old grandson was in my arms, and I thought it was the water company delivery boy" said the grandmother MT, who is from India.

One maid snatched the child and the other covered the grandmother's head with a cloth while the salesman grabbed a bed sheet and tied her up.

Prosecutors said that the salesman sat on the chest of the grandmother to stop her fighting and screaming. The grandmother fainted and woke up half an hour later to find that both her and her daughter's jewellery had been stolen. She then called her daughter and son-in-law and the security guard.

Prosecutors said that one of the maids had previously been employed by the grandmother. Police tracked all three of them to an apartment near the Grand Hyatt Hotel where some of the stolen items were recovered.

All three denied charges of forceful theft. The next hearing will be on July 18.

salamir@thenational.ae