Shock as super cars abandoned in Dubai

According to the local newspaper Gulf News, there are between 2,000 and 3,000 prestige vehicles abandoned every year in Dubai, simply parked up and left to gather dust in the searing heat of the desert city.

The obvious question is, of course, why? There has been an uproar on social media where images of a limited edition Ferrari Enzo valued at £1million have reached users across the world, with many assuming their ultra-wealthy owners are simply not bothered about the expense involved - they park the car one day and just move onto the next.

The reality is actually a lot more startling. One of the main reasons behind this strange crime is that the plunge in oil prices has left Dubai vulnerable, with many struggling to meet the exorbitant finance payments that come with these supercars. Foreign ex-pats, many from the UK, have moved to the UAE chasing a high-flying career but, in the grim light of day, they are now finding it difficult to make ends meet - with many fleeing the country to avoid the repayments.

Under Sharia law, the primary law observed across the majority of the Middle East, it is a criminal offence to abandon debt. There are no bankruptcy laws in the UAE, meaning those who can't meet the payments will ultimately head to one of the country's notoriously tough prisons.

One British ex-pat, who wished to go unnamed, said: “It's not just ex-pats to blame for the irresponsible act of leaving expensive cars behind as they flee their debts, but many locals too. The aftermath of the global financial crisis affected people from all walks of life, not just foreign workers."

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