Police in Ras Al Khaimah issue pickpockets warning

UAE residents have been issued with a renewed warning to be vigilant about pickpockets, especially on busy public transport.

The Ras Al Khaimah Police posted the advice on their Twitter account, saying that members of the public should protect themselves from being robbed while travelling.

“If you need to read a book or look at something on your phone, then first secure your belongings because your mind will be occupied with something else,” read the caption under a picture of passenger holding their phone on a public transport service. In another shot, one passenger is seen asleep.

The guidance was directed at people boarding planes, buses, taxis, trains and trams.

Passengers have many times left their valuables at public transport systems in the UAE, only for these to be returned to them a few hours later.

In January, a Nigerian taxi driver was rewarded for returning a bag containing Dh100,000 that was left behind by a passenger in Sharjah.

The RAK police social media post also asked passengers to be alert if they noticed a fellow rider insisting on making conversation with them.

“It could be a distraction method so their partner could rob you," it said.

Another message under a picture, that showed two passengers separated by a number of seats, asked people to ensure that they keep a safe distance from others if possible.

Col Abdullah Al Nuaimi, director of the media and public relations department at Ras Al Khaimah Police, said thieves tended to take advantage of public transport because of the high passenger numbers.

He advised passengers not to carry valuables or large amounts of cash with them on public transport.