Men stole electric cables causing blackouts on Dubai roads, court told

Four men caused a power blackout across parts of two main roads in Dubai after stealing 1,300 metres of electric cables, the criminal court was told on Monday.

On three different days during September, three unemployed Pakistani men aged between 27 and 29, and a salesman, 36, used large scissors to cut the cables before loading them into a pickup lorry and fleeing.

Prosecutors said the men stole 1,150m of cables from the bridge on Al Yalayis Road and 150m from the bridge on Sheikh Zayed Road towards Jebel Ali — Lehbab Road.

The thefts were reported to police when a maintenance technician contracted by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority noticed some of the street lights were off during inspections.
"I was checking the light posts on Al Yalayis and Sheikh Zayed Road last September when I noticed the lights off. I checked the cables and found that the boxes were forced open and the cables cut off then pulled out," said the Indian technician.
"We received several reports of cables being cut off and stolen," an Emirati police lieutenant said.

“The cables in Dubai are placed in boxes that are not very hard to open.”

The men were tracked down and arrested. During police questioning, they each allegedly admitted to stealing cables on three separate occasions and selling them to shops in Sharjah.

All four men were charged with armed robbery and damaging property, which they denied in court.
The next hearing will be held on April 5.