Snatcher of mobile phone of Youm7 reporter, accomplice referred to urgent trial after topping social media in Egypt

CAIRO – 20 October 2021: On Tuesday, two things topped social media in Egypt; a more than 6.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Cairo, Alexandria and down to Upper Egypt and a snatcher who robbed our Youm7 reporter’s mobile phone while filming live in the street to follow up on the quake.

On Wednesday, the Public Prosecution ordered referring the snatcher and another culprit to urgent trial shortly after the Interior Ministry announced arresting him.

So, while Mahmoud Ragheb, a journalist at Youm7 was doing a live coverage on Youm7 Facebook page for the streets of Cairo after the earthquake, a man on a motorbike robbed the journalist's phone.

Followers could only recognize that the view suddenly changed and little did the robber know he turned the mobile camera to his face with a cigarette in the mouth to be accidentally watched by millions of people on a platform that has 24 million followers.

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the eastern Mediterranean yesterday during morning hours, awakening many residents in Egypt, especially in Cairo and Alexandria and shaking their furniture.

Unlike the quake that Scared the living daylights out of some citizens in a country that is not used to strong quake tremors, the robbery incident was rather fun and a matter of sarcasm.

The public prosecution said the accused thief and the accomplice admitted committing the crime.

“Among all mobile phones in people’s hands, this thief chose to steel the only one that will definitely take him to jail,” a social media user said.

عشان الحكومة تقطع الشك .... وبالسوجارة كمان #حرامي_اليوم_السابع pic.twitter.com/ECpiLNiOFc

— بتفرَّج (@mammsociety) October 20, 2021