A Dubai misdemeanors court has sentenced a domestic worker to one month in jail for stealing a suitcase belonging to an Arab woman who was preparing to travel. The incident occurred last May when the victim reported that one of her two suitcases went missing. She said she had asked a worker to help carry her luggage to the building entrance before going to a nearby exchange house to complete travel-related transactions. When she returned, one suitcase was gone, prompting her to call the police. A police officer testified that CCTV footage showed the defendant, a maid working in a nearby home, taking advantage of the woman's brief absence to steal the bag and flee. Authorities later arrested her, and the missing suitcase was recovered from her accommodation. During interrogation, the maid admitted to taking the suitcase but claimed she thought it had been left for donation. The court found her guilty, ruling that the elements of theft were met based on her confession and supporting evidence that she intended to take the property without consent. Taking into account the case's circumstances, the court imposed a lenient sentence of one month in prison under the UAE Federal Penal Code.
