Snatch thief takes off with woman's bag from right under her nose at Malaysian eatery

A woman in Malaysia was quite literally a victim of 'daylight robbery' when a man took off with her handbag early on Wednesday morning (Sept 12), in the township of Bandar Tun Hussein On located in Selangor state.

But what made the attack even more brazen was not just that it took place at 7.50am, but that the 32-year-old victim was having a meal inside the restaurant with her handbag on her lap when the thief struck.

In the CCTV footage, a man wearing a motorcycle helmet is seen coming from behind the woman, before swiftly and successfully wrangling the bag off the woman's lap and fleeing the scene. The whole thing is over in barely three seconds.

According to the Sin Chew Daily, the woman was having breakfast with her daughter at the Muslim eatery when two men on a motorcycle stopped outside. One of them dashed in and grabbed the bag before they made a quick escape.

Too stunned to react, the woman is seen struggling to hold on to her bag and was pulled off her chair and out of the camera's view. Thankfully, she was left relatively unscathed by the ordeal.

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Contained in her bag were her driver's licence, ATM card, iPad, iPhone and about 2,000 ringgit (S$662).

In the video, about 10 people in the restaurant alerted to the commotion are seen stepping out to investigate. Police are currently investigating the case and the two men are still at large.

A copy of the footage shared on Facebook on Thursday (Sept 13) has since amassed more than 78,000 views.

Comments online expressed shock at the daring snatch-theft and the fact that it took place within a restaurant's premises. Others lamented that one can't even have their breakfast in peace these days.

candicec@sph.com.sg