Thieves broke into a woman's house in Ajman and "cleared it out", taking belongings ranging from Christmas decorations and wrapped gifts to half-used lotions.
Becky Mason, 35, estimates the burglars took around Dh70,000 of her personal belongings in the raid.
The teacher left her house in Ajman's Al Yasmeen area in the evening of the robbery at around 7.30pm.
She returned the following day around lunchtime and was shocked to discover her house had been ransacked.
They took all the perfumes, jewellery, watches, the gifts that were wrapped up ready to go to England, my make-up
“I don’t know what to say, I am totally shocked,” said Ms Mason, from the UK.
“They took private documents, banking documents, the PlayStation, the children’s gifts, the tree decorations, which I had only just taken out of the cupboard the day before.
“They took all the perfumes, jewellery, watches, the gifts that were wrapped up ready to go to England, my make-up.”
They tried to take the TV too, but could not get it off the wall, she said.
“They had a real good go to take everything. Half-used lotions and potions, perfumes,” said Ms Mason, who locked up her house before leaving for the night.
“And just imagine, they even took the router. The police asked me to WhatsApp the location and I kept trying to send the location and it wouldn’t go. I had full WiFi so I couldn’t understand it.
"I had to stay at a friend's to continue my work as a teacher."
Break-ins are rare across the UAE.
Many people feel so safe they do not even lock their doors at night. However, they can happen.
This year, police in Dubai said a hi-tech home security service alerting police to crimes as they happen in the emirate helped slash burglary rates.
The force said the number of home burglaries was cut by two per cent in 2018 during a trial phase, but incidents were reduced by a further 13 per cent in 2019 following a wider roll-out.
The sophisticated system links security cameras and motion sensors placed in homes with the force's control room, allowing officers to take swift action when intruders strike.
Ms Mason said there has been no news from the investigation into the burglary of her home yet.
She feels confident in Ajman Police’s ability to solve the crime, but posted about the ordeal on social media, including Facebook groups like British Mums Dubai, in case the thieves sell her items together.
“I thought if anyone suddenly sells a lot of things, [and there is] anything I could screenshot and send to the police, it would be worth it,” she said.
Ms Mason bought and moved into the new home in 2017 to be closer to work.
But she had just agreed to rent it out to a couple so she could move in with a friend in Sharjah, where she works.
On the day of the burglary she had been packing her belongings. She is no longer sure the couple will want to live in the house after what happened.
“Now I’m in the situation where I have this huge debt and I can’t even sleep there because I don’t feel safe there. I feel totally petrified to live there now.”
Ajman Police were contacted for comment.
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
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