DUBAI // Residents have passed a social experiment to test their honesty.
The video posted on Live Leak website called 'Would You Steal In Dubai?' featured a man dressed in a suit dropping his wallet on purpose, then a hidden camera filming what happened next.
The test was carried out 45 times in different parts of the city. The wallet was returned to its owner every single time, giving Dubai a perfect score.
The test took place near Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Mall, the World Trade Centre and in the Bur Dubai area.
Other cities around the world did not fare as well. Mumbai was the second most honest city tested, with nine out of 12 wallets returned. In London, people returned five out of 12 wallets; in Madrid, they returned two out of 12; and, in Lisbon, Portugal, just one wallet out of 12 was returned.
Viewers of the video took to social media to praise Dubai residents’ integrity.
“Dubai has one of the lowest crime rates anywhere in the world. You can leave your keys in the ignition and go away for like an hour, and no one would steal your car,” one said.
The honesty experiment was the brainchild of Daniel Jarvis and cameraman ‘Digi’ Dan of the hidden camera prank series Trollstation. Their online page states that their content is intentionally provocative and controversial to get reactions from the general public in the name of comedic satire.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
