Female TV reporter robbed live on air at football World Cup
A television reporter has spoken out after being robbed live on air while covering the World Cup in Qatar.
Dominique Metzger, who works for Argentine TV station Todo Noticias, said she believes money and documents were stolen from her handbag as she interviewed supporters before the first match of the tournament in Doha on Sunday (local time).
While the robbery was not caught on camera, footage from the moment shows Ms Metzger dancing with the crowd as her cross-body bag hangs on her side. In an interview after the incident, the journalist told Todos Noticias that she was “convinced” that during that time someone had opened her bag's zipper and taken her wallet.
“I had my small bag on me with all the things that one needs, my wallet, the keys to our hotel room, some napkins,” she said, according to the Daily Mail. “I didn't realise at that moment, you know you're live on air, with music and crowds around you, and I was focused ... So I wasn't paying attention.”
“After I finish my live report, I wanted to take my wallet to buy a water bottle and then I realised I didn't have it.”
Reporter stunned by police response
Following the shocking incident, Ms Metzger reported the theft to local police, but says their response left her aghast. The journalist explained to her TV station that after arriving at the station she was escorted to another section where there were only women.
“I asked why I was there and they told me as I'm a woman, it has to be a policewoman who has to help me,” she said, according to the Daily Mail.
🇶🇦 • ULTIMA HORA: Periodista argentina Dominique Metzger sufrió un acto de robo en Qatar durante su cobertura del mundial. Comentó que las autoridades qataríes le preguntaron qué hacer con el ladrón cuando lo atrapen. @estreyaystar 👀 pic.twitter.com/kIBUePlObA
— BREAKING NEWS 🌎 (@NewsAlerts_ES) November 20, 2022
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“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?’”.
Confused by the question, Ms Metzger asked police what they meant, to which they responded: “Do you want us to sentence him to five years in prison, to be deported?”
The journalist said she declined to nominate a punishment and just hoped for her wallet to be returned.
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