Furious US tourist yanks Venice ‘pickpocket’ by the ponytail after tracking teen using AirPods’ ‘Find My Friends’ feature

nypost.com ^ | August 19, 2025 | Anthony Blair

[lowbridge]

Video

https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1959788281455149566

[dfwgator]

Gypsies.

[Red Badger]

My first thought.....................

[Red Badger]

But we can’t call them that anymore. Racists........

[Semper Vigilantis]

So calling a woman “a beast” is a compliment now?

[dfwgator]

That said it’s pretty dumb to be walking around with your passport. Having a photo on your cellphone or paper copies should suffice in most cases.

[FamiliarFace]

*** “I have eight kids, you’re not getting to me,” she told the suspected thief.***

Way to go, Mom!

[Dilbert San Diego]

Really? You don’t need your passport when you travel to other countries? Authorities in other countries accept a paper copy? They accept a cellphone photo?

I’m surprised they wouldn’t need to see your actual passport.

[dfwgator]

I mean when you are walking around the city, usually you should store the passports in a hotel safe.

[Leaning Right]

> Gypsies <

It looks that way. In gypsy folklore, thousands of years ago the rest of the world was unfair to the gypsy people. This gives the gypsies the right to steal from the rest of the world.

So there will be no shame here. Except that they got caught.

[rktman]

Yup. And released two days later.

[OpusatFR]

I am glad she got her passport back. But, first rule is not to carry a backpack with your valuables. Money belt, bra belt, underclothing wallet that can hold passports, anything but a backpack with valuables.

No money or credit cards in pockets either.

[pierrem15]

I think the general rule is always leave a copy of your passport at home; always leave a copy in your hotel in case it's lost of stolen so you can get another from the US embassy or consulate.

But you will need it if stopped for id or you'll likely be held until someone can fetch it.

When I was living in Cologne many years ago the cops did a dragnet in a subway station known for criminal activity (no 4th Amendment). An American happened to be there whose passport had been stolen a few days earlier. He didn't have a copy & decided to argue with the police.

He was released from the hospital about a week later.

[Leaning Right]

You’re supposed to call them the Roma or the Romani now. And that very much upsets an Italian friend of mine.

He’s says that will lead to confusion, and make people think these thieves come from Rome.

So he will continue to call them gypsies. I will, too.

[dfwgator]

They were lucky they weren’t arrested for assault.

[rktman]

Yup!.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Good advice. I’m sure those pickpockets target tourists.

And I’ve heard these criminals are a major problem in Europe.

[dfwgator]

It also upsets Romanians, who are not gypsies.

[Red Badger]

IIRC, in the UK and Ireland they call them ‘Travelers’..........