Police have arrested an Asian woman for allegedly pickpocketing pilgrims in the mataf, or the circumambulation area, around the Holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Sunday.

Major Abdul Kareem Al-Zahrani said the woman was found to be in possession of huge amounts of money in different currencies, including 2,500 US dollars, 50,000 Iranian rials, 166 Saudi riyals and 60 Egyptian pounds, apart from Afghan afghanis and two cellphone sets.

He said the woman was using a blade for her crime. “We arrested her red-handed while pickpocketing a pilgrim,” he said, adding that security officers handed her over to the Grand Mosque police station for punitive action.

Many pickpockets sneak into the holy site amid massive overcrowding to take away money and other valuables from pilgrims. Saudi security agencies have warned such criminals of deterrent punishment.