An American mom vacationing in Italy turned the tables on an alleged pickpocket, and the viral video is proof she was not about to be an easy target.
The drama unfolded in Venice on Thursday when Christina Cadieu Greene realized her purse had been stolen.
The purse contained her passport, money, credit cards, and Apple AirPods. It even included her metal water bottle.
According to her daughter, Karis McElroy, Greene and her husband had been walking through a crowded area when they noticed three young girls hovering nearby.
When the couple returned to their Airbnb, Greene discovered her backpack had been unzipped and her purse was gone.
That’s when she and her husband acted fast.
Using Apple’s “Find My Friends” app, the couple tracked the AirPods — and the search led them straight back to the three girls they had seen earlier.
Greene wasn’t about to let the thieves slip away — not a chance.
“So she goes and chases them down, and she grabs one of the girls by her ponytail and does not let go,” McElroy said in a TikTok.
Did the mom do the right thing by capturing the young accused pickpocket?
WARNING: The following videos contain language some viewers might find offensive.
@karismcelroy Replying to @kennedy STORY TIME #pickpocketing #foryoupage ♬ original sound – karis
While Greene had one suspect firmly in her grip, another stayed close by, and the third fled the scene with the stolen purse.
The Airbnb host called the police and stayed with Greene while she clutched the teenager’s hair for nearly an hour.
In a second video posted by McElroy, the alleged pickpocket was shown screaming as Greene held on tight.
Greene, unfazed, delivered an all-time line.
WARNING: The following videos contain language some viewers might find offensive.
@karismcelroy Venice pickpocketers picked the wrong mom to mess with 😂😭 #jet2holiday #foryoupage #pickpocketing #venice ♬ original sound – NYES | Fashion
“I have eight kids, you’re not getting to me,” the American mom said.
McElroy said her stepfather helped retrieve the stolen goods while Greene waited for police to arrive.
The Daily Mail reported the encounter lasted close to 50 minutes before authorities intervened.
Tourists in major European cities like Venice deserve to know that their belongings and their safety are protected.
Tourism is the bread and butter of a city like Venice.
Good on this tough American mom for standing her ground and refusing to let thieves strand her in a foreign country.
If there’s one thing a mom of eight knows, it’s that excuses and tears aren’t enough to let you talk your way out of trouble.
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