After Her Phone Was Stolen by a Pickpocket... The Woman's Dramatic Chase and Outcome [Video]

Woman Chases Down Pickpocket at Russian Bus Stop
Praised for Her Quick Response and Bravery

A video showing a woman immediately chasing down and apprehending a pickpocket who stole her mobile phone at a bus stop in Russia has gone viral.

Recently, a video of a pickpocketing incident at a Russian bus stop has been shared on social networking services (SNS) such as Instagram and Reddit.

A woman chasing and catching a pickpocket after being targeted. SNS capture

The footage captures a man approaching a woman waiting for a bus, snatching her mobile phone, and running away. The woman instantly chased after the fleeing pickpocket, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and pushed him. She then managed to knock the culprit to the ground and retrieve her phone.

A short while later, a man emerged from a nearby store and kicked the pickpocket as a form of retribution. According to the British Daily Mail and other outlets on the 1st (local time), the victim is a 25-year-old woman. The pickpocket was identified as a 38-year-old foreign national who had immigrated to Russia.

Pickpocketing incident caught on video at a bus stop in Russia. Screenshot from SNS.

The man is currently under arrest and in police custody. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, he could be deported from Russia or face up to seven years in prison. Police announced plans to commend the woman for her bravery in apprehending the pickpocket.

After the video was shared online, comments praising the woman's quick response and likening the scene to an action movie quickly followed.

Meanwhile, last year in Russia, a three-person gang who traveled to Seoul to pickpocket on the subway received suspended prison sentences.

They entered South Korea on tourist visas in November 2023 and were accused of stealing passengers' wallets on the Seoul subway. The group divided roles, with one acting as the "machine" who directly pickpocketed, another as the "lookout" protecting the machine, and the third as the "antenna" watching the surroundings.

Their targets were mainly women carrying bags without locks, such as eco-bags. Over nine days, the trio spent 45 hours riding the subway or repeatedly traveled between two stations for two hours at a time to identify victims in crowded trains. Before entering Korea, they had already conspired to commit the crimes by sharing posts about "pickpocket role division" on social media, and it was found they planned to flee after completing their crimes over a 15-day period.