Sharjah: Police are to reward the hero who helped them track down a missing child, Gulf News can reveal.
Vigilant Emirati Ebrahim Ahmad Al Shamsi sprung into action after seeing Sharjah Police Twitter alerts asking for help to find little Lailas Ehssan.
Gulf News reported on Monday how a seven-hour baby snatch drama was sparked after a thief stole a car with the month-old child on board.
Now Sharjah police have confirmed they are to give Al Shamsi a reward for the quick-thinking that helped trace the child.
Colonel Sultan Abdullah Al Khayal, Director of Media and Public Relations at Sharjah Police told Gulf News he appreciates the efforts of Sharjah resident Al Shamsi for calling police when he spotted the car in Mueilha.
He added: “Thanks to all residents who co-operated with Sharjah police via Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry regarding the baby issue.”
Around 1,730 Twitter users answered Sharjah police’s pleas for help.
The drama unfolded after Lailas was snatched when her parents’ car was stolen from a petrol station in Industrial Area 6 in Sharjah, just after 10pm on Saturday.
They left her in the back seat of their white Toyota Prado, with the engine still running in the unlocked car, as they went inside the station.
Within minutes a thief got behind the wheel and sped off, taking Syrian Mohammad Ehssan’s baby daughter with the car.
By 1am, Sharjah Police posted pleas on their Twitter and Facebook pages, asking for help find the child, releasing the make, model and registration of the car.
Al Shamsi recognised the car from Sharjah police’s Twitter description and immediately alerted them.
Police raced to the Muailha area of Sharjah, at 5.45am, where they found the baby inside the car and arrested a male suspect who is still being interrogated.
The baby, who is unharmed, was taken to Al Qassimi hospital to check on her condition and later sent home to be reunited with her parents.
Sharjah police accused the couple of negligence and warned them not to leave their car engine running, especially at petrol stations, The parents face no formal action over the incident.
Police sources say Al Shamsi’s reward will be decided in the coming days but is likely to be a certificate and sum of money.
