Man posing as beggar arrested for collecting AED 14,000

A man has been arrested in Sharjah for collecting AED 14,000 over three days by posing as a beggar.

Sharjah Police said the man was reported by a worshiper at a mosque in the Emirate.

Initial investigations revealed he was residing in the UAE illegally.

Colonel Omar Ghazal Al-Shamsi, director of the Special Tasks Department and Head of the Beggars Tracking Team, said beggars "exploit the compassion of community members to make quick and illegal gains".

Sharjah Police has urged community members to report such cases to the authority and donate only through official charity channels.

The authority has been running a campaign during the Holy Month of Ramadan aimed at tackling both individual and organised begging.

The offence is punishable with penalties including a AED 5,000 fine and up to three months in prison.