Cars with engine on invite thieves: Dubai Police

Dubai: Police renewed the call to motorists not to leave their car engine and the vehicle unattended, even for a few seconds, as this can be a temptation for thieves.

Insurance companies refuse to compensate owners whose cars are stolen in this case, as the theft is caused by the owner’s negligence, Dubai Police’s Criminal Investigation Department highlighted.

During the summer months, many people leave their cars running to keep them cool while they step out to buy something or run a quick errand, Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Humaid Al Merri, Director of Investigation, said.

A man who left his new luxurious car running in a petrol station and went to shop at a minimart learnt his lesson the hard way when he found that his car had disappeared.

“On June 23, this man parked his car at a petrol station in Qusais but left the engine running while he entered the minimart around 10pm,” Lieutenant Colonel Al Merri said.

After reporting the theft, a patrol in the Industrial Area spotted the car around 1am the same night. It was driven by the suspect.

“The man was under the influence of alcohol, and despite only driving the car for a few hours, he managed to cause severe damage to the body after crashing the car several times,” Al Merri said.

When the owner of the car got a police report about the damages and called his insurance company to seek compensation, he was shocked to find out that the company does not cover damages caused because the car was stolen as a result of negligence.

“Even if the car is never found, the insurance company would not compensate the owner if it was found out that his negligence facilitated the theft,” Al Merri said.

“We have often warned against leaving cars running or not properly locked but people continue to do that and only learn the lesson when it happens to them. I urge all residents to stop this practice once and for all. Lock your car and protect your property,” he added.