Driver steals helper's vehicle after surviving rollover crash in Oman

Dubai: A driver who had just survived a rollover crash in Oman allegedly repaid a passer-by's kindness by stealing his vehicle and fleeing the scene, according to police, in an incident that quickly drew widespread attention across the country.

The unusual sequence of events unfolded on Monday morning near the Al Khadhah entrance in Rustaq Governorate, where an expatriate driver was involved in a traffic accident that caused his vehicle to overturn.

Witnesses and passing motorists reportedly stopped to assist the driver after the crash, rushing to the scene to check on his condition and offer help. According to accounts shared locally, the man managed to exit the damaged vehicle before approaching one of the motorists who had stopped to assist him.

Instead of waiting for emergency services or remaining at the scene, the driver allegedly entered the citizen's vehicle and drove away, leaving behind the wrecked car and those who had come to his aid.

Details of the stolen vehicle were subsequently circulated on social media, prompting appeals for information from members of the public. The vehicle was identified as a white 2013 Toyota pickup bearing registration number 20456.

The case soon attracted significant public attention, with many expressing disbelief that an act of generosity could be exploited in such a manner.

Later on Monday, the South Al Batinah Governorate Police Command of the Royal Oman Police announced that an Arab national had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Police said the suspect had taken possession of the citizen's vehicle after the owner stopped to help him following the accident in Rustaq. He then fled the scene and drove the vehicle to Al Musannah Governorate, where he was subsequently tracked down and apprehended by officers.

The Royal Oman Police confirmed that legal proceedings against the suspect are under way.