Dubai Police arrest beggar with Dhs20,000 in possession

The Suspicious Persons and Criminal Phenomena Department of Dubai Police's General Department of Criminal Investigation has apprehended a beggar found in a parking lot in possession of Dhs20,000. 

The arrest was made as part of the 'Combating Begging' campaign launched by Dubai Police in collaboration with strategic partners to raise awareness and preserve the nation's civilized image by preventing and combating the crime of begging. 

Brigadier Ali Salem Al Shamsi, Director of the Suspicious Persons and Criminal Phenomena Department of the General Department of Criminal Investigation, said the beggar targeted owners of luxury cars in parking lots and at traffic lights, pleading for sympathy by claiming to be in dire circumstances and without means to feed himself. 

Al Shamsi warned the public against sympathizing with or giving money to beggars, urging people not to fall for the tactics they use to elicit pity for material gain. He pointed out that beggars often employ fabricated stories and tricks to prey on the public at mosque entrances, clinics or hospitals, markets, and on the streets. 

Moreover, Al Shamsi advised against responding to beggars' pleas or interacting with them based on pity and encouraged reporting beggars immediately via the contact centre (901) or the "Police Eye" service on Dubai Police's smart App. 

The Director of the Suspicious Persons and Criminal Phenomena Department also stressed that there are official entities and charitable organizations people can turn to for financial assistance, noting that some individuals falsely claim need to justify their begging — an act that is illegal and punishable under federal anti-begging laws. 

Al Shamsi affirmed that Dubai Police will continue working with partners to combat the scourge of begging, which harms the community's civilized image and often involves deceptive and fraudulent methods.