DUBAI: An unemployed man earlier deported over a wave of diesel tanker robberies returned to mastermind more. He was sued with two aides on Wednesday.

The Asian defendant, 30, on Aug.31 broke into a diesel tanker using a lever and hotwired it while his aides -a compatriot labourer, 30, and the latter’s workmate, 30- watched the situation

He drove it from a sandy parking lot of a company in Al Quoz Industrial area. They took it to a location in Jebel Ali where they sold it and shared the proceeds, Bur Dubai Police Station records showed.

Prosecutors accused them of robbery and demanded the Criminal Court to toughen their punishment.  They denied and asked to be acquitted. The jury set Dec.13 for the ruling.

An Emirati lieutenant said police recently noticed a surge in robberies targeting diesel tankers -including the one in question. Investigators suspected the deported defendant managed to return.

This was because no such robbery was reported after his deportation. A police source alerted investigators the defendant was back in action. Investigations revealed both labourers were aiding him.

Cops stormed their apartment. They were perplexed. The labourer revealed they committed a chain of robberies masterminded by the defendant.  And that their role was to monitor the situation.

He revealed regarding the robbery in question that the mastermind picked a sharp tool from the sandy parking lot and used it to smash the truck’s window. He opened the door, entered and hotwired it.

He drove it out of the parking lot and told the labourer to take it to Jebel Ali. From there, the mastermind drove it away.

Thirty minutes later he returned walking and paid the labourer a Dhs400 share of the diesel proceeds.

The workmate also confessed to his role and said the mastermind gave him a Dhs1, 500 share.