A schoolboy in Dubai has been commended by police after handing in a lost wallet containing cash and a cheque worth Dh200,000.
Pupil Essa Abbas Muhammad Abdullah received recognition for his honesty in front of his classmates at Dubai Secondary School.
Police officers Lt Col Ahmad Al Hashemi, deputy director of Al Qusais Police Station, and Lt Col Nasser Abdulaziz Al Khaja, head of administrative affairs, visited the school to present Essa with a certificate and a gift bag.
They said his honesty was an example for others to follow.
“The recognition comes under the We Reach You to Thank You initiative, which honours community members and partners at their own locations and among their colleagues,” said Lt Col Al Hashemi.
“The student’s conduct was exemplary and his prompt communication with the police ensured the wallet and funds were safely returned. The public should take him as a role model for honesty and civic responsibility.”
It is not the first time that honest members of the public have been recognised by police.
In 2023, a limousine driver from Pakistan handed in Dh101,000 ($27,500) in cash to Al Barsha Police Station after a passenger left it behind.
Dubai taxi drivers are renowned for their honesty, with more than Dh5.6 million in lost valuables and cash being reported as handed in to authorities in 2022.
The returned items included a bag of diamonds worth an estimated Dh1 million, luxury watches, handbags and Dh3.6 million in cash.
