Maid stolen from us...advice about police procedure or what to do next please | ExpatWoman.com
 

Maid stolen from us...advice about police procedure or what to do next please

13
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:29

We caught our maid of nearly 5 years, (visa all done and legal every year) steeling money out of my handbag yesterday. I had been suspicious for a while so started taking a photo on my phone of the money in my wallet and marked with a dot all my notes. We found the marked stolen money in her room so 100% guilty alone with many many other household and children's stolen items. In addition we got our phone bill in this money and found that for Aug, while we were away on holiday she had racked up 2,700aed in phone bills to the Philippines.

So can anyone help with knowledge of what the police will do if we report her?

Her only response to everything was "No problem sir you just send me back home" There was no remorse or guilt. Its as if she could steal from us and then we would pay for her to have a free flight home.

Any and all advice needed

2192
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 23 September 2012 - 13:39
Ive always kept a safe in my house. I also keep my maids passport in there too.. I have told her its locked in the safe with mine and if she needs it just ask. shes happy with that.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 23 September 2012 - 13:32
Maybe the jails are full with runaway maids and they didnt have any space for her ?!!! Probably! Its bad form on my part, but each week, the agency maid gets whatever is left in our combined wallets, note jars, bottoms of bags. Very rarely have enough to be stolen from! But it does make you wonder if investing in a small safe is a good idea. Any ladies with one? We have a safe, got it before first maid. Anything I could not bare the thought of losing lives in the safe, along with our passports and emergency CC. Anyone with a maid should have a safe, not because maids cant be trusted (many can) but because it is far to easy to blame the maid for something going missing! Just get a safe and keep valuables in there!
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 23 September 2012 - 12:48
Maybe the jails are full with runaway maids and they didnt have any space for her ?!!! Probably! Its bad form on my part, but each week, the agency maid gets whatever is left in our combined wallets, note jars, bottoms of bags. Very rarely have enough to be stolen from! But it does make you wonder if investing in a small safe is a good idea. Any ladies with one?
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 23 September 2012 - 11:14
Im really surprised that they dint keep her in jail. they usually do that with absconders and this lady stole which is far worse. Maybe the jails are full with runaway maids and they didnt have any space for her ?!!!
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 23 September 2012 - 08:42
How can this be? Icecream Queen's husband must have told the police not to lock her up. This happened to us back in May. I discovered that our Agency maid was going into my handbag and taking money from my purse. DH took her to the police station and they asked my DH if he wanted her to go to jail. DH asked how long she would spend behind bars and the policeman said 1 or 2 years. We did not want that, so instead the policeman scared the living daylights out of her and told her never to return to the UAE or should would be put in jail (which is probably not true but she thinks it is) and she was immediately deported, with ban. I know a lot of people on this forum think that we should have had her locked away, but I just couldn't do it, neither could DH. End of story.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 22 September 2012 - 21:11
How can this be?
816
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EW GURU
Latest post on 22 September 2012 - 20:45
While I am glad your rid of her (please put a ban)- I am curious how she got out of jailtime
13
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 September 2012 - 19:58
UPDATE - thank you for all the helpful comments. We did go straight to the police station. We were told to return home and call 999. I took the kids out and DH dealt with it. Police were helpful and the maid and her husband were summoned to the house. She was then taken off in the police car and reports were filed. She was given a stern telling off and we were told to get her on a flight out. A little disappointed she did not get a night in the cell but glad we did the right thing and she will be gone tomorrow.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 20:45
Report her to police and her consulate right now!if she is legally employed then nothing can go against u.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 16:30
Ransack her room now, and check for anything else. Then call the police. If they ask you if you want to make a case, say yes. Do not look back. Remove her husband from your mind and the picture....do not allow him to get involved.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 16:10
Very unfortunate. I would not hesitate to call the police immediately. You have proof she stole from you. I have no sympathy for someone who steals! She deserves what the police charge her with, hopefully detain her and ban her from entering the UAE again. I would be very ticked off if I hired a maid whom I later found out was a thief and the that the previous employer did not report it :(. It is your duty to report her immediately, not send her home. Keep her salary in abeyance and follow the police instructions. I totally agree! It's your duty as an employer to report her. Similar incident happened to us late July last year and our maid was jailed and deported. Unfortunatly we paid for the ticket but there was the 10 year ban on her not to enter U.A.E.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 15:46
Very unfortunate. I would not hesitate to call the police immediately. You have proof she stole from you. I have no sympathy for someone who steals! She deserves what the police charge her with, hopefully detain her and ban her from entering the UAE again. I would be very ticked off if I hired a maid whom I later found out was a thief and the that the previous employer did not report it :(. It is your duty to report her immediately, not send her home. Keep her salary in abeyance and follow the police instructions.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 14:27
We had a maid steal from us and didn't report her to the police. It became a huge headache as she absconded and then for years - yes, years - came to us asking for help to become legal again. She eventually met some naive western man who paid a massive fine for her to become legal, but I've regretted not turning her into the police ever since.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 14:19
If she's already left the house and gone off to her husband, you need to call the police now and don't bother looking up articles. Go with your gut feelings its always right. She could be cooking up some tale with him to go to the poilce with herself before you get the chance to say she stole from you to make you look like you are just retaliating her charges. I would not waste another minute. I agree with this. I had a maid abscond after failing a medical and it was a huge worry. I wish I hadn't let her out of my sight, it would have saved a lot of stress.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 14:13
meant to add also that the police are very helpful in this matter and it is not as complicated as it sounds. I am sure emotionally you are hurt by the deciet so sorry you have to go thru this
816
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EW GURU
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 14:11
Call the police asap and they will send someone to the house to take her in. you will have to file a complaint and it may go to civil court. Usally the investigation shows that they have stolen more than you realize...AND having a husband here is NOT a deterrant from running away. Do NOT let guilt of any kind cause you to hesitate. This is a crime and should be treated as such. If found guilty(sounds so) she is most likely looking at 6 months then deportation. The police may be able to recover your stolen items
4062
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 14:08
I had a friend in AD who's maid stole money from them. They asked if it was her and she denied it. They told her that they would therefore have to make a complaint to the police and if was proven to be her she would be arrested. She still denied it. They made a police complaint. The police checked cctv footage and found proof it was the maid. The police came to their home and arrested the maid who was jailed, I can't remember for how long sorry. My friend said the police were very helpful and the process wasn't difficult. She did find it difficult on an emotional level and felt guilt for the maid in jail but was relieved the maid was out of her home and would not have the opportunity to steal from another family.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 14:05
If she's already left the house and gone off to her husband, you need to call the police now and don't bother looking up articles. Go with your gut feelings its always right. She could be cooking up some tale with him to go to the poilce with herself before you get the chance to say she stole from you to make you look like you are just retaliating her charges. I would not waste another minute.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:59
This happened to us, the maid went to prison for 3 months and was then deported.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:53
Apparently the Dhs2,000 deposit can be used to send maids home. Although im not sure if this applies to every case. call the police and get her dealt with. Do not withhold money/salary from her etc as this can get you into hot water. Follow the police and immigrations instructions.
13
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:49
thank you all for your speedy responses. As you can guess I am very angry and upset. This all happened last night. We have her passport but she has left our home with her husband last night and we know where he works. So I don't think she will do a runner, but desperate people do stupid things. I am loathed to pay for her ticket home and my gut says call the police, which is why it would be great to hear if anyone has been though this and if anything will be done. I will look up the articles now and keep searching for help. I certainly would not want her to have the chance to do this to anyone else's family.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:41
I think you need to play this smart and act quickly with your decision, if you are going to the police do so as soon as possible, you don't want her running off and dissapearing while she's on your sponsorship. I would go to the police immediately unless you know of some very compelling reason to just let her go home.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:39
I can only suggest to do what you would do anywhere else in the world if an employee were to steal. Tell them their employment will be terminated. They have the choice to either replace what they stole or you will call the police and they will be arrested. In this case you can tell her of course she can go home but it will be via a jail cell and with a life ban on returning to the UAE. There are some articles on cases in the National, just search for maid stealing, perhaps show her some where maids have been given sentences, and throw in some other articles on jail conditions in Dubai. Of course if your maid is not legal etc. then it is probably best not to call the police or you will be landing in jail with her! <em>edited by RuthM on 21/09/2012</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:37
If you send her home, she'll be back in a few months fleecing another unsuspecting family. I would report her. She could have been stealing from you for years. I would hold here salary in repayment towards the phonebill. No idea what would happen, but guessing she may get a prison sentence.
4000
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:35
She's asking for you to just buy her a ticket and send her home to avoid the consequences of you reporting her to the poilce. She would probably be arrested put in custody and deported. Its up to you what you want to do with her but she sounds like a bare faced thief.
 
 

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