In a chaotic scene on a bustling Buenos Aires street, an alleged pickpocket found herself at the center of a public confrontation that quickly turned physical, attracting the attention of hundreds of shoppers in the Flores district on December 14.
The tense encounter, captured on video and later shared widely on social media, shows a woman grabbing the suspected thief by her hair while her partner records the incident on his phone.
The suspect is seen attempting to flee but is intercepted by bystanders and eventually pushed onto a zebra crossing.
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As tensions escalated, two women appeared to pull at her hair and slap her face.
Surrounded by an agitated group, the alleged pickpocket seemingly feigned unconsciousness, collapsing onto the street. However, this tactic failed to pacify the crowd.
While some attempted to lift her, others stepped in to prevent further escalation. She ultimately rose to her feet on her own.
Even after standing up and dabbing at her face, the suspect tried to make an escape but was pursued by the initial couple down the pavement.
The footage ends with the couple in pursuit, though reports suggest the alleged pickpocket eventually managed to slip away into the crowd.
The dramatic episode unfolded in Flores, a bustling commercial area in the Argentine capital, particularly busy during the festive season and often targeted by petty criminals.
The couple later filed a complaint with the police, though no further details about the suspect’s whereabouts have been reported.
The incident sparked a heated discussion online after the video was shared on X, garnering over 750,000 views and a flood of reactions.
One commenter suggested extreme measures, saying, “Their foreheads should be branded so people can quickly identify them and shun them.”
Another user, Sol, mocked the suspect’s strategy, writing, “She pretended to faint, hahaha, the worst strategy.”
Meanwhile, Carmen questioned the fairness of the situation, observing, “That’s a lot of people against one pickpocket.”
The story also prompted personal anecdotes from viewers.
Benjamin shared his own brush with street theft, recalling, “Once I was walking along the street when two people approached me from behind, one of them had a scarf over her hand and was trying to open my shoulder bag – I then realised why zips make a sound when you try to open them.”
Another user, Mary, offered a harsh critique of the crowd’s response, commenting, “They hit her pretty softly, maybe she would have learned her lesson if it was a little harder?”
The video has amplified the ongoing conversation about petty crime in Buenos Aires, particularly in crowded shopping districts like Flores, and the public’s response to such incidents.
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