Fez man detained over suspected handbag theft that dragged woman through street

A man in his 20s has been detained in Fez over the alleged theft of a young woman’s handbag, an incident that reportedly left her being dragged for a long distance along a public street.

The case dates back about two months, when a video circulated showing the woman trying to hold on to her bag as it was taken in the Oued Fes district. The footage triggered widespread reaction on social media and prompted security services to open an investigation.

Investigators worked with information provided by Morocco’s territorial surveillance service, known as the DST, and coordinated with the Royal Gendarmerie. Their inquiries identified the suspected thief and tracked his whereabouts.

Police arrested him on Saturday in a village in the Oulad جامع area of Moulay Yacoub province. He was taken to the relevant judicial police unit for further questioning and placed under judicial investigation under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor’s office. The inquiry aims to establish the circumstances of the case and determine his involvement in the alleged acts.

Separately, the suspect’s father reportedly took legal action against several pages that published or shared the video documenting the alleged handbag theft and the woman being dragged in the street.