If you have ever lost an item in Dubai, rest assured. It's not really lost until Dubai Police can't find it. Their 'Lost and Found' section has been helping people recover their missing items since 1982. In just the first three months of 2018, Dubai Police recovered Dh950,000 in lost cash. "The most commonly lost items include mobile phones and wallets. In January 2018 alone, 500 mobile phones were found and remain unclaimed. 5,000 mobile phones, that were lost between January and June 2017, are due for the next auction in June 2018," said Colonel Rashid bin Safwan, Director of the Lost and Found department of Dubai Police. Last year, the revenues from unclaimed lost items in Dubai reached Dh7,658,482 - out of which Dh2.64 million was collected through auction. The remaining Dh5.1 million was recovered by Dubai Police in lost cash. All the revenues go to the government treasury. "There are many ways to locate your lost items. You can visit the nearest police station, you can use the Dubai Police app or website, or you can call our toll-free number 901," he added. "On the website or app, go to "Services" section, select "Found items" and type the item that you lost. For instance, if you write 'camera' and search, it will show a list of all the cameras currently in police custody along with their description." If you spot your item in this list, visit the police station with your ID and some kind of proof that the item belongs to you. "If a person has lost his camera, we need to verify that the camera in our custody actually belongs to him. For that, he needs to show us some kind of proof. For instance, he may bring the camera receipt, or the camera may have his photos etc.," he said. An unclaimed item stays at the police station for one to two weeks before it's transferred to the warehouses in Al Qusais. If the item remains unclaimed for a year, it gets auctioned. However if the owner claims the item after it's auctioned, he may still receive the revenue from the sold item. As for documents such as passport, if no one claims within three months, the department sends it to the consulate of that country. If it's a UAE passport, they send it to the immigration department. Those who find lost items or money must hand it over to the police within 48 hours to avoid penalty. When they return the item, they are entitled to a certificate of appreciation from Dubai Police for honesty and, if the owner agrees, he receives a financial award amounting 10 per cent of the total amount of the found item, but not exceeding Dh50,000. If the lost item is expensive such as jewellery, it's stored separately in a safety box in the Lost and Found department. The entire office is constantly monitored by CCTV cameras. "For jewellery, we have a special device to check it's real or fake. It tells us what percentage is gold, silver, copper and so on," he said. Each story of a lost and found item reflects the remarkable commitment of Dubai Police. "Last year, a European lady stayed in a hotel while visiting Dubai. She forgot her watch. It was a Rolex watch made of gold and its market price was Dh100,000. It was her good luck that during that time a police officer was going to London for training. I sent that watch with him, he went to her house and gave it to her. In another case, a British woman had lost her iPad. I sent it to London, free of charge. Our aim is not to sell the item. That's the last thing on our minds. Our duty is to return the items to the rightful owner." nilanjana@khaleejtimes.com
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