Dubai’s reputation for safety often goes viral on social media, but the city is equally known for something rarer: the swift recovery of lost valuables. An Indian family recently witnessed this first-hand, in an incident that underlines the city’s culture of honesty and its highly efficient system.
Kamini Kannan, who lived in the UAE for 23 years before returning to India in 2021, had travelled back to Dubai to attend a wedding when the remarkable episode unfolded. Kamini decided to check her old gold pouch during the visit. As the pouch was torn, she transferred her valuables, including four 22-carat gold coins weighing 8 grams each and one 50-gram 24-carat gold bar, into a temporary pouch and left it on the dining table.
A Costly Mistake During Cleaning
While cleaning the house,
her son Abhimanyu accidentally threw the pouch into the trash, mistaking it for waste. The next morning, when Kamini noticed the pouch was missing, Abhimanyu realised his mistake and informed the family. They assumed the gold was gone forever.
The family informed their building’s security staff but had no real expectations. The gold was worth around 50,000 dirhams (approximately Rs 13 lakh).
Kamini later told Khaleej Times, “If it went in the trash, it’s gone.” Believing nothing could be done, they did not even file a police complaint.
An Unexpected Phone Call
Three days later, something unexpected happened. Abhimanyu received a phone call asking whether he had lost something. Initially thinking it was a prank, he was stunned to learn that the caller was a Dubai police officer.
At the building reception, police explained the entire sequence. A waste-collection worker had found the pouch while handling trash. Realising it contained gold, he did not keep it. Instead, he took it to the Gold Souk, where there is a formal system for handing over found gold items.
Police Tracked The Owner
Officials questioned the worker, who clearly stated that he had found the pouch in the trash. Using waste-collection records, police traced the garbage to the specific building. Through the building’s security, they identified and contacted the family.
Abhimanyu was asked to visit Naif Police Station. There, police showed him the recovered gold. He only had to provide photographs, purchase bills, and proof that the gold belonged to his mother. “I just had to show photos and bills to prove it was my mother’s,” he said.
Praise For Dubai Police And System
The family expressed deep gratitude to the Dubai Police for acting swiftly without even registering an FIR. The incident demonstrated how strictly the law is followed and how efficiently systems work in Dubai.
The worker’s honesty in not giving in to temptation and the police’s quick action stood out. For the family, the recovery was a huge relief, as the gold was a long-term investment.
Kamini said she had witnessed such honesty many times during her years in Dubai, but this incident was the most memorable.
A System That Builds Trust
Today, the family values Dubai’s security and governance even more. The episode serves as a powerful example of how strong laws, accountability, and integrity ensure that even something thrown away can be safely returned to its rightful owner.
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