A TV reporter had her wallet nicked live on air at the Qatar World Cup – and then was stunned by a cop’s brutal response.
Dominique Metzger believes a thief unzipped her handbag while she was interviewing dancing supporters ahead of the opening match in Doha last night.
The journalist, who works for Argentine TV station Todo Noticias, told viewers she lost credit cards, money and documents.
The pickpocket was not caught on camera but the channel showed the moment he is believed to have struck just out of view while she was speaking to another fan.
She told viewers later: “I was dancing with the crowd.
“I’m convinced it was at that moment when someone opened my bag’s zipper and took my wallet.
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“I didn’t realise then because I was in the middle of the crowd while on air, with loud music and talking to you guys.”
Dominique said she filed a complaint at a police station in Doha – in a separate area for women only.
Officers told her the Corniche area of the capital was under camera surveillance.
She said cops promised to identify the culprit – and that she could choose his punishment.
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Stunned Dominique said: “They told me, ‘What do you want justice to do about this?
“‘We will find the wallet… We have cameras everywhere, high-tech cameras and we will find the thief with face detection technology.
“‘What do you want justice system to do to them when they are found?’
“‘Do you want us to sentence him to five years in prison, to be deported?’
“He asked me to make the decision.
“I told them I just want my wallet back, I won’t be making the decision for the justice system.”
The controversial Qatar tournament is set to be the most heavily surveilled sports event ever.
Fans are being monitored by 20,000 cameras and face recognition technology around the eight stadiums, according to reports.
Hosts Qatar lost the opening game 2-0 to Ecuador on Sunday night.
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Earlier the BBC snubbed the glitzy opening ceremony starring Morgan Freeman.
Instead the broadcaster showed a chat between Gary Lineker and pundits including Alan Shearer.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
