Dubai Police have urged parents not leave children unattended after officers rescued almost 80 locked in cars, lifts and homes in the first quarter of the year.
The department rescued 79 children including 50 inside homes, 24 in cars and five trapped in lifts, a senior figure from the force said.
Col Abdullah Beshwa, director of the rescue and transportation department at Dubai Police, said children should not be left alone in vehicles, lifts or homes under any circumstances.
Leaving them in cars is particularly dangerous, he said, given high temperatures, especially during summer, which can increase the risk of suffocation.
“Leaving children alone inside vehicles can put their lives at particular risk,” Col Beshwa said. “It is very dangerous for anyone to be confined in a car without proper ventilation due to high temperatures during the summer. Parents and caregivers should be extremely vigilant and responsible for the sake of their children’s lives.”
Police in Dubai received 301 calls in 2025 from people whose children were trapped. They rescued 165 children locked in homes, 107 locked alone in vehicles and 29 who were trapped in lifts throughout last year.
“Don’t leave the keys inside open cars, especially in parking lots. The child usually is curious and can lock himself inside. It can turn into tragedy in minutes,” Col Beshwa added.
“Leaving children alone in vehicles, even for a short period like stopping in front of a supermarket or in petrol station, can have disastrous consequences,” leading to heatstroke or dehydration, which can be fatal, the officer said.
“Parents should check the back seat of their vehicle before locking the doors, as children can sometimes climb in unnoticed,” said Col Beshwa.
Police have been called out to a number of incidents in car parks, with parents leaving their child alone in the vehicle while they go shopping, he added.
Last year, officers rescued a two-year-old after she managed to lock herself inside a car while her mother was chatting nearby outside the child’s nursery.
The mother could not open the door as the key was inside and called for help. The baby was rescued after police managed to prise open the door without breaking a window.
Col Beshwa urged members of the public to report any such incidents immediately by calling 999.