Ramadan beggars now door-stepping, warn Dubai police

DUBAI // Police are warning that Ramadan beggars have turned to knocking on people's doors after being pushed out of their usual haunts.

Officers have arrested 65 people since the July 17 launch of their annual clampdown on the professional beggars who target the Emirates during the Holy Month.

Such beggars - many of whom fly into the country - have traditionally targeted the country's mosques and markets, but the success of this year's campaign has forced them to try a different approach, according to Colonel Salem Khalifa Al Rumaithi, of CID.

"The efforts of the concerned parties from limiting the begging trend has borne fruit - they have been pushed away from mosques and markets," said Col Al Rumaithi. "However, there are some beggars who now are knocking on people's houses to get money and try to win people's sympathy at their doorstep."

Of the 65 people arrested, seven were women and one was a boy dressed as a woman. "The sad thing in this trend that many of those who take begging as a profession exploit their children and make them used to begging," said Col Al Rumaithi.

Sixty police patrols, including undercover officers, are involved in this year's clampdown, while teams from the municipality and Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department are also taking part. Authorities have divided the emirate into three zones - green, yellow and red - according to how often each is visited by beggars.

Last year 657 people were arrested for begging, 169 of them during Ramadan. This year, 264 were arrested before the beginning of the Holy Month.

wissa@thenational.ae