Police keep bounced cheques out of court

Sharjah police succeeded in amicable reconciliation of 1171 financial disputes during the first quarter of 2012.

The emirate’s Al Buhaira, Al Gharb and Industrial Areas police stations resolved 523, 322 and 201 financial cases respectively, according to Colonel Hussein Ibrahim Ahmed, the director of the department of police stations.

Some people involved in financial disputes expressed appreciation of Sharjah police’s initiative.

AFM, an Arab expatriate, said he was surprised when Al Gharb police station summoned him about his bounced cheque for Dh6,200. At first he thought he would be arrested but was pleasantly surprised when the police offered him the possibility of paying the money at the station, thus avoiding referring the case to the public prosecutor.

AFM said he told the police that he does not have the money on hand and sought a deadline at the beginning of the next month. The police then contacted the complainant who agreed to the deadline. He has since then paid off his dues.

SMA, a bank employee, said banks usually approach the police only after contacting the client several times asking him to settle his dues. He said banks encourage such initiatives and do not mind giving the customer sufficient time to settle his dues after reaching an amicable settlement with him.

Meanwhile, the number of tip-offs Sharjah police got declined 11 per cent during the first quarter of 2012 compared with the same period of 2011.

The total number of cases dropped from 9,615 to 8,598 during the same period.

Bounced cheque cases dropped 33 per cent from 4,067 in first quarter of 2,775 to 2,012 in Q1 2012.

Tip-offs received from car rental companies dropped about 40 per cent from 286 to 171 during the same period.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.