- Christina Cadieu Greene chased a suspected pickpocket in Venice on August 14
- She tracked her stolen purse using the Find My Friends feature on her AirPods
- The suspect was a 14-year-old girl who allegedly stole a purse and passport
A shocking video has gone viral showing a US tourist grabbing a suspected pickpocket by the ponytail in Venice, after the teenager allegedly stole her purse and passport. The dramatic incident unfolded in Venice on August 14, when Christina Cadieu Greene, on vacation with her husband, chased down a teenage girl she believed had stolen her purse and passport. The woman tracked the stolen items using the "Find My Friends" feature on her AirPods, which were inside the purse.
Footage shows the woman gripping the girl by the ponytail in front of a crowd, after a group of girls had crowded her and her husband on a narrow bridge, leading to the theft of her belongings, including credit cards, cash, passport, and a metal water bottle. As the woman held the girl by the ponytail, the girl screamed, but it didn't deter her.
The woman's daughter, Karis McElroy, shared the video on TikTok, which was then re-shared on other social media platforms.
Here's the video:
"Her and my stepdad immediately started tracking her purse through her AirPods on Find My Friends, and they were able to track it down back to those three girls. So she goes and chases them down, and she grabs one of the girls by her ponytail and does not let go. Two of the girls stayed, one of the girls ran away with my mom's purse," Ms McElroy explained what happened behind the scenes.
"She said she didn't care about any of the other stuff in the bag, but she just at least wanted her passport so she could get home," she added.
Ms McElroy further said that the Airbnb host informed her that the three teenage girls were known pickpockets in Venice. The host reportedly kept them at her place until the police arrived to apprehend them. The two minors were charged with theft and released on bail. Notably, local reports suggest that the pair were seen back on the streets, mingling with tourists, just two days later. According to Italian outlet Il Messaggero, the girl who stole the woman's purse is only 14.
The couple, from North Carolina, are on a Mediterranean cruise after boarding a ship in Venice.
