Dubai Police Reunites Owners with 6,040 Lost Items, Including AED 2 Million Necklace, Over Five Years
Dubai Police has successfully reunited thousands of residents and tourists with their lost belongings over the past five years, returning items ranging from a necklace valued at over AED 2 million to a sentimental coffee cup. This initiative has included individuals who had already left the UAE without realizing they had misplaced their possessions.
First Lieutenant Reem Al Housani, Head of the Communications and Complaints Follow-up Section at Dubai Police’s Lost and Found Department, reported that the force has returned a total of 6,040 lost items to their rightful owners during this period. She noted that many individuals were unaware they had lost their belongings, and their reactions upon discovering their valuables were safe were overwhelmingly positive.
Smart Delivery Service for Lost Property
To address the challenges faced by individuals in retrieving their lost items, particularly those who had already departed Dubai, Dubai Police introduced a home delivery service for recovered belongings. Once notified that their item has been located, owners can access a dedicated online portal to select a delivery location and time. The item is then delivered directly to them, regardless of their current location. Previously, owners were required to visit either the Lost and Found Department or the location where the item was found to reclaim it.
How Dubai Police Verifies Ownership
The verification process for reclaiming lost items varies based on the type of item. Official documents typically contain personal details that make ownership identification straightforward. For other items, owners must provide proof of ownership, such as accurate descriptions or details from the lost property report. A field team then verifies this information before releasing the item. Al Housani emphasized that every lost item is treated with equal importance, regardless of its financial value, stating that even inexpensive items can hold irreplaceable memories for their owners.
A Poem of Gratitude
One particularly memorable case involved an old mobile phone that lacked a SIM card or any identifying information. Despite the absence of clues, the team persisted in their search until they successfully identified and contacted the owner. The individual was so moved by the recovery that he composed a poem dedicated to the team, expressing that poetry was his most cherished possession and the best way to convey his gratitude.
One Platform for All Lost Property in Dubai
Established in 2015, Dubai Police’s Lost and Found Department has developed a unified platform that consolidates lost property from various locations across the emirate, including hotels, shopping malls, airports, and government entities. This platform now encompasses approximately 1,600 strategic partners, providing a single channel for reporting and recovering lost items. Previously accessible only to partner organizations, the platform is now open to the public, allowing anyone who finds a lost item to register it electronically and track the process until it is returned to its owner.
What Happens If an Item Is Never Claimed?
The department adheres to UAE’s lost property law, which grants owners three months to claim their belongings. If an item remains unclaimed, it may be sold through a public auction in accordance with legal procedures. However, the financial proceeds are retained for three years, allowing the rightful owner to claim their money during that timeframe.
Stories Behind the Recoveries
Al Housani recounted a case involving a tourist who lost a necklace valued at over AED 2 million. The woman was astonished when Dubai Police contacted her to inform her that the necklace had been found and safely stored until it could be returned to her.
Lieutenant Sami Al Houti, who has dedicated around 31 years to handling lost property, shared a notable case involving a woman from Eastern Europe who lost a Rolex watch worth approximately AED 150,000. After returning home, she and her children were involved in a road accident, leading her to believe the watch had been lost during the incident. Dubai Police later traced her identity and informed her that the watch had actually been found in Dubai, a revelation that initially left her in disbelief.
Another case involved a Russian tourist who lost a luxury watch valued at around AED 40,000. The Dubai Police team initially contacted the retailer’s Dubai branch but discovered that the watch had not been purchased in the UAE and the owner’s details were unavailable. Investigators then reached out to the retailer’s international branches, ultimately tracing the purchase to a store in France, which enabled them to identify the owner and return the watch.
Even a Coffee Cup Mattered
Al Houti highlighted that the value of lost property is not always determined by its monetary worth. He recalled an individual who reported losing a coffee cup worth only a few dirhams, as it held significant sentimental value. The owner’s joy upon learning it had been found was comparable to that of individuals recovering expensive jewelry. In another instance, a visitor from a Gulf country lost an item belonging to his wife. When informed by Dubai Police that it had been recovered, he promptly booked a flight to Dubai to collect the item, despite the cost of the trip exceeding the object’s value. For him, the sentimental significance far outweighed any financial considerations.
High-Security Storage
Dubai Police maintains a secure storage system for cash, jewelry, and other valuables. Cash is stored in dedicated safes until it is returned to the owner or transferred to the government if no owner can be located. Jewelry, luxury watches, and other high-value items are kept in separate high-security vaults. The department’s treasury is equipped with a modern device that examines and classifies gold and jewelry, ensuring that valuable items are properly safeguarded until they are reunited with their owners.
Source: www.emirates247.com
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Published on 2026-07-31 12:22:00 • By the Editorial Desk
