Police return Dh76,000 to tourist who left funds in Dubai taxi

Dubai Police have returned Dh76,000 ($20,700) to a tourist who left the money in a taxi during New Year’s Eve.

The man was dropped off at his hotel after celebrating the occasion in the city.

He later realised he accidentally left behind a bag containing Dh14,000 and $17,000 in cash and contacted police for help.

Officers retrieved the bag within half an hour and returned the money to the grateful tourist.

“Dubai Police received the call from the tourist at around 2am after the New Year celebrations,” said Maj Gen Jamal Al Jallaf, director of the criminal investigation department at Dubai Police.

“He had rented a taxi online and asked for our help to recover the money.”

Officers located the taxi and contacted the driver to inform him of the issue.

Brig Khalfan Al Muhairi, director of the tourism police department, said the matter was resolved quickly.

“Our officers are trained to respond promptly to such incidents and ensure the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors in Dubai,” he said.

The tourist thanked Dubai Police, praising their professionalism and the speed of their response.

The force also paid tribute to the taxi driver for ensuring the funds were handed over to officers.

It is not the first time Dubai Police have come to the rescue of tourists who lost high-value items.

In July, police divers assisted a man from the UK after he lost a Rolex watch worth Dh250,000 during a yacht trip near The Palm Jumeirah.

Five officers from Dubai Police Maritime Rescue were called into action, after the owner dropped the aptly named Yacht-Master while swimming with friends.

Divers recovered the luxury watch at a depth of 11.5 metres, despite facing challenges of deep waters, low visibility and currents.

“The watch was for a British national and it was found 38 feet deep in the water,” Dubai Police told The National at the time.

Hamid Al Ameri, 33, who was with the tourist on the trip, posted a video on his Instagram page to thank the police divers for their efforts.

“When he dove in, the watch’s strap snapped. We tried to search for the watch but it was difficult to find it as it was low visibility in that area,” Mr Al Ameri said.

“We were sad and desperate to find the expensive watch, but I decided to call Dubai Police for help.

“They arrived within 10 minutes and the divers found the watch after searching for 30 minutes under the water.”

In May, police divers retrieved an iPhone 14 Pro belonging to a Russian tourist who lost it during a trip to Hatta Dam.