DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
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 Dh20,000.
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 civilised 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 sympathising 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 organisations 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 civilised image and often involves deceptive and fraudulent methods.