'I didn’t think twice': Meet the Dubai taxi driver who returned Dh1 million worth of valuables

A taxi driver who returned Dh1 million in valuables, accidentally left behind by a passenger, was honoured by Dubai Police on October 20. Hamada Abu Zeid, an Egyptian expat, has worked with Dubai Taxi Company since 2006.

On that fateful day – October 11 – Hamada picked up a family from Dubai Airport, at Terminal 3, taking them to their residence in Palm Jumeirah. “The client, a European man, was travelling with his wife and infant. Amid the chaos of getting settled, he must have placed a small black leather bag under the seat to keep it safe,” Hamada told Khaleej Times.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

After driving them to their destination, Hamada picked up another family who left behind a phone on the back seat. When he saw the phone lying on the seat, the bag under also came to his notice.

“I immediately returned to the hotel to check if the phone belonged to them,” he said. “That’s when I noticed the small bag under the seat; however, the bag did not belong to the family who claimed the phone."

Without checking the contents of the bag, Hamada promptly contacted the police. "I did not think twice. I knew I had to return it," he said.

When the police arrived, they confirmed that the bag contained items worth a fortune, which the passenger had already reported missing. The relieved commuter, who had been anxiously searching for his belongings, expressed immense gratitude to Hamada.

Hamada said: “It is my duty to return lost items to ensure they reach their rightful owner. This is the moral standard we uphold here in Dubai. I always find things that clients forget behind. My first instinct and reaction is to return them, no matter what the value is.”

• UAE: Driver sued for Dh600,000 after crashing into motorcyclist