‘Pizza order’ call helps Sharjah police rescue expatriate woman allegedly threatened by husband News of the World
An emergency call operator from Sharjah Police helped rescue an expatriate woman after realizing that her repeated pleas to “order a pizza” were a coded distress signal when she was threatened at home.Captain Majid Al Bas, Head of the Communications Operations Department of the Sharjah Police, disclosed the incident during the “Aman Ya Biladi” program broadcast by Sharjah Radio in partnership with the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.According to Captain Arbas, the woman contacted the police emergency center but repeatedly asked to order a pizza, even after being told she was going to the police station and not a restaurant.Realizing that something was wrong, Kamis, the officer on duty, did not end the call but continued the conversation. Suspecting the caller was unable to speak freely, he used the pizza order as a way to gather information while keeping her calm and connected.The officer asked her how much pizza and drinks she wanted and used those questions to assess the situation at the home. The caller responded that she wanted a pizza, indicating that only one person was present.While on the phone, Khamis alerted his supervisor and initiated a location tracking program. Police identified the woman’s location in Sharjah and immediately dispatched a patrol to the address.Officers who arrived at the scene discovered that the woman was allegedly being threatened by her husband, who was said to be acting abnormally. Police cordoned off the location and secured the woman’s safety.Captain Albas said the incident highlighted the importance of specialized training for emergency call operators, particularly in identifying coded requests for help from people who may not be able to speak openly.He noted that disguised emergency messages are an internationally recognized method used by victims seeking assistance without alerting those who pose a threat. He added that Sharjah Police personnel are trained to identify subtle behavioral and verbal clues that may indicate someone is in danger.
