'Pizza order' call helps Sharjah police rescue expat woman allegedly threatened by husband

A Sharjah Police emergency call operator helped rescue an expatriate woman after realising her repeated requests to “order pizza” were a coded plea for help while she was being threatened at home.The incident was disclosed by Captain Majid Al Bas, Head of the Communications Operations Branch at Sharjah Police, during the “Aman Ya Biladi” programme broadcast on Sharjah Radio in cooperation with the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.According to Captain Al Bas, the woman contacted the police emergency centre but repeatedly asked to order a pizza, even after being informed she had reached the police and not a restaurant.Recognising that something was wrong, the duty officer, identified as Khamis, continued the conversation instead of ending the call. 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 how many pizzas she wanted and what drinks she would like, using the questions to assess the situation inside the home. The caller’s response that she wanted one pizza helped indicate that only one other person was present.While maintaining the call, Khamis alerted his supervisor and initiated location-tracing procedures. Police were able to identify the woman’s location within Sharjah and immediately dispatched patrol units to the address.Officers who arrived at the scene found that the woman was allegedly being threatened by her husband, who was described as being in an abnormal state. Police secured the location and ensured the woman’s safety.Captain Al Bas said the incident highlighted the importance of specialised training for emergency call operators, particularly in recognising coded requests for help from people who may be unable to speak openly.He noted that disguised emergency messages are a recognised international method used by victims seeking assistance without alerting the person posing a threat. Sharjah Police personnel receive training to identify subtle behavioural and verbal cues that may indicate someone is in danger, he added.