Tourist loses Rs 76k in Dubai mall before flight, police returns it after UAE departure
A tourist who believed she had lost Dh3,000 forever during a shopping trip in Dubai received an unexpected surprise after Dubai Police tracked down the missing cash and transferred it to her bank account after she had already returned home.
Tourist reports cash loss before departure
The Arab tourist realised she had misplaced the money while visiting a busy shopping centre in Dubai. With her flight scheduled shortly afterwards, she reported the incident through Dubai Police’s tourist support service, explaining that she had no time to stay behind and search for the missing cash herself.
Police promise to continue search
Instead of closing the case due to her imminent departure, officers assured the woman that efforts to locate the money would continue and that it would be sent to her home country if recovered.According to Lt. Col. Mohammed Abdul Rahman, Director of the Tourist Police Department, a field team from the Shopping Centres Security Section was immediately assigned to investigate the case and retrace the tourist’s movements inside the mall.
Full amount recovered within two hours
The search team located the entire Dh3,000 within two hours at one of the stores in the shopping centre. Officers then verified the amount by matching the total sum and the number of banknotes with details provided in the tourist’s report.After completing the verification process, Dubai Police contacted the woman and arranged for the money to be transferred to her bank account in her home country.
Tourist praises swift response
The tourist said she had little hope of recovering the cash, especially after leaving the UAE and considering the size and crowd levels of the shopping centre.She praised Dubai Police for their quick action and continued communication even after her return home, describing the experience as a reflection of the safety and integrity she encountered during her visit to Dubai.
Another addition to Dubai’s lost-and-found record
The incident is the latest in a series of cases involving the recovery of lost valuables in Dubai. Earlier this month, Dubai Police returned a misplaced bag containing luxury watches worth more than Dh100,000, along with electronic devices, to a GCC traveller after it was reported missing at Dubai International Airport.In a separate case in May, authorities recovered and returned a handbag containing silver bars valued at around Dh2 million to an Asian passenger following a search operation at the airport.
