A gang of three Arab women was arrested for pickpocketing at the Grand Mosque, local media said quoting a source at the Department of Criminal Investigation, an affiliate of the Holy Mosque Security.

The department had received a series of pickpocketing reports inside the Grand Mosque and its courtyards.

The three women were caught red-handed after a special task force was formed to investigate the case.

The suspects were reportedly living in a luxury five-star hotel near the Grand Mosque, the source said.

Investigators found SR44,000 and other currencies, including 300 euros, $720, 715 Jordanian dinars, 460 UAE dirhams and 720 Moroccan dirhams, in the hotel room.

They were also found to be in possession of eight mobile phones, two SR10 prepaid phone cards, one digital camera, two gold rings and a gold alloy, the source said.