DUBAI // Members of the city's burgeoning surfing community are being urged to keep one eye on the swell and another on their belongings after a spate of thefts.
Thieves are targeting fans of the sport after they take to the waves, leaving behind possessions on the beach or in their cars.
The sport's popularity has grown quickly in the past 18 months, with scores of surfers taking to the sea off Umm Suqeim Open Beach, known locally as Sunset Beach.
James Oliver, a Brazilian who has lived in Dubai for 15 years, said he had twice in the past 12 months been targeted by thieves while he surfed at the public beach.
"A year ago at Sunset Beach someone broke into my car early in the morning, and two months ago they saw my phone and money and tried to break into my car again," he said.
"The first time they took my mobile phone and what cash I had in my wallet.
"They left the wallet and didn't touch the credit cards. I stopped a police officer who was there at the time and he told me to go to Bur Dubai Police Station to report the incident."
Carl De Villiers, who works at Surf Shop Dubai, in Al Barsha, said thefts happened regularly.
"The thieves are very good - often obtaining keys, then opening cars and cleaning them out," he said.
"They also take stuff out of your wallet or bag with credit cards and wallets being left behind."
Vanessa Schwärzler, a 25-year-old surfer from Germany, hid her car key under a tyre and went to surf. An hour later, she returned to the parking area opposite the beach and discovered Dh100 she had in her purse - which was locked inside the car - was missing, along with her camera and mobile phone. "I was worried for a while about someone using my credit card number, though they hadn't taken my cards, but they wouldn't have had time to take the numbers down," she said.
She also reported the theft to Daniel Van Dooren and Scott Chambers, the owners of Surf Dubai's surf school, "just in case they want to send a note to their members to be more careful".
Mr De Villiers recommended that surfers keep their keys on them or invest in a Surf Lock, a password-protected key storage device that locks to your vehicle.
Neither Mr Oliver nor Ms Schwärzler reported the thefts to police due to the small value of the property taken.
Lt Col Ali Ghanem, of Bur Dubai Police Station, warned beachgoers to always secure their belongings, including their car keys, and to keep an eye on their property while they are in the water.
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