How Dubai airport staff helped resident recover lost ring within 25 minutes
Stories of lost valuables being returned in Dubai are not uncommon, and they continue to reinforce why many residents and visitors say they feel safe in the city. From taxi drivers handing back bags of cash to airport staff tracking down misplaced belongings, such acts of honesty have become part of the emirate’s everyday narrative.Last week, one such story unfolded at Dubai International Airport (DXB), where an Indian expat's moment of sheer panic over a missing ring quickly turned into relief — thanks to the quick actions of an airport employee.Mohammed Mustak, who has lived in the UAE for more than four years, was preparing to travel to Chennai for his annual vacation. Among the first items he had bought for the trip was a ring for his wife — a gift he was especially careful with. To keep it safe, he wore it on his finger while shopping at Dubai Duty Free on Friday (January 19) shortly before boarding.Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.However, as he removed his jacket, the ring slipped off without him noticing. Remarkably, thanks to the quick actions of airport staff Javed, the ring was located and returned to him within just 25 minutes.“Javed found the ring when he stepped on it while doing his rounds of the duty free,” said Mustak, speaking to Khaleej Times from India. “He could have kept it at his counter and turned it into the lost and found after his shift. But he took time in between his shift to notify the security guard. I absolutely salute his commitment to ensuring that the found item was returned to the rightful owner. It might seem like a small thing to others but for me, it really restored my faith in human integrity.”How Mustak lost the ringIt was on Friday 9 that Mustak was preparing to board an Emirates flight from Dubai to Chennai. With boarding pass in hand and some time to spare, he walked through Dubai Duty Free to shop. He had worn the ring to ensure that it remained safe. However, when he removed his jacket, the ring slipped out of his finger unnoticed. As soon as he realised the ring was missing, he searched the area for 15 minutes but found nothing. Growing anxious as boarding time approached, he alerted a nearby security officer, who advised him to report the incident at the airport’s Lost and Found office on the ground floor. “I was informed that the ring hadn’t been turned in so I filed a complaint hoping that the ring would be found at least by the time I returned,” he said. Refusing to give up, Mustak returned once more to the duty-free area — where he was met with an unexpected surprise. The same security officer now had the ring in hand. “When I claimed that the ring was mine, they verified CCTV footage and returned it to me, within just 25 minutes of being lost,” he said. “I could not believe my luck. I never imagined that I would be able to find the ring before I left for India.”He said he wanted to make sure that Javed was recognised for going the extra mile. He wrote emails to the DXB customer service team and also posted on social media. While some family members teased him for losing the ring, Mustak remains focused on what truly matters. “This might seem like a small thing,” he said, “but honesty like this deserves to be celebrated. No amount of appreciation is enough.”Hatta Police honour Dubai Municipality worker for returning tourist's bag carrying passportSharjah Police honour taxi driver for returning mobile phone to passengerDubai: Student returns cash, Dh200,000 cheque; police honour honesty
Stories of lost valuables being returned in Dubai are not uncommon, and they continue to reinforce why many residents and visitors say they feel safe in the city. From taxi drivers handing back bags of cash to airport staff tracking down misplaced belongings, such acts of honesty have become part of the emirate’s everyday narrative.
Last week, one such story unfolded at Dubai International Airport (DXB), where an Indian expat's moment of sheer panic over a missing ring quickly turned into relief — thanks to the quick actions of an airport employee.
Mohammed Mustak, who has lived in the UAE for more than four years, was preparing to travel to Chennai for his annual vacation. Among the first items he had bought for the trip was a ring for his wife — a gift he was especially careful with. To keep it safe, he wore it on his finger while shopping at Dubai Duty Free on Friday (January 19) shortly before boarding.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
However, as he removed his jacket, the ring slipped off without him noticing. Remarkably, thanks to the quick actions of airport staff Javed, the ring was located and returned to him within just 25 minutes.
“Javed found the ring when he stepped on it while doing his rounds of the duty free,” said Mustak, speaking to Khaleej Times from India. “He could have kept it at his counter and turned it into the lost and found after his shift. But he took time in between his shift to notify the security guard. I absolutely salute his commitment to ensuring that the found item was returned to the rightful owner. It might seem like a small thing to others but for me, it really restored my faith in human integrity.”
How Mustak lost the ring
It was on Friday 9 that Mustak was preparing to board an Emirates flight from Dubai to Chennai. With boarding pass in hand and some time to spare, he walked through Dubai Duty Free to shop. He had worn the ring to ensure that it remained safe. However, when he removed his jacket, the ring slipped out of his finger unnoticed.
As soon as he realised the ring was missing, he searched the area for 15 minutes but found nothing. Growing anxious as boarding time approached, he alerted a nearby security officer, who advised him to report the incident at the airport’s Lost and Found office on the ground floor. “I was informed that the ring hadn’t been turned in so I filed a complaint hoping that the ring would be found at least by the time I returned,” he said.
Refusing to give up, Mustak returned once more to the duty-free area — where he was met with an unexpected surprise. The same security officer now had the ring in hand.
“When I claimed that the ring was mine, they verified CCTV footage and returned it to me, within just 25 minutes of being lost,” he said. “I could not believe my luck. I never imagined that I would be able to find the ring before I left for India.”
He said he wanted to make sure that Javed was recognised for going the extra mile. He wrote emails to the DXB customer service team and also posted on social media. While some family members teased him for losing the ring, Mustak remains focused on what truly matters. “This might seem like a small thing,” he said, “but honesty like this deserves to be celebrated. No amount of appreciation is enough.”
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