Security guard steals Dh5 million in cash - but haul is snatched by his own flatmate

A bungling security guard was coaxed into stealing a Dh5 million cash haul by a friend - only to have most of his share stolen by his flatmate, a court heard.

The Transguard Group worker had been befriended by his female partner in crime while he collected cash from the company where she worked.

The guard, 39, from Kenya, was questioned by the woman about how much he collected in a day and was convinced to steal one of the money bags and split the lucrative contents with her, Dubai Criminal Court was told.

On March 3 this year, the man is said to have stolen a bag containing Dh5.09 milion before getting three taxis to meet his accomplice, also from Kenya, at a car park in Deira City Centre.

He said that she took Dhs3 million from the bag and gave him the rest, telling him she was leaving the country that day.

The man, not knowing what to do with his share, kept it with his flatmate and then asked him to move to a flat in Sharjah in order to keep a low profile away from police.

"I visited him every day and the money was still safe, but 10 days later I went and didn't find him, I only found Dh200,000 left while the rest was gone. I heard he fled the country," the defendant said in records.

The desperate man then met a countryman who was having financial troubles and provided him with Dh50,000.

He then asked this man to wire some cash to his family in Kenya before asking him to buy a laptop and a mobile phone for his 7-year-old daughter.

When he was arrested, after being reported by his employer, police found that he had curtains, shoes, clothes and other items that he bought and was planning to ship to his wife.

He was charged with embezzlement and causing financial damages, which he denied in court.

The woman, who is at large, was charged with aiding and abetting by inciting the man to embezzle cash. The flatmate, 30, also from Kenya and still at large, was charged with theft and possessing stolen money.

The next hearing is due to be held on June 27.