A woman is in custody after she was caught stealing from a foreign tourist in Hanoi's old quarter, police said.

Le Thi Binh, 48, was arrested early on Aug. 5 when she was fleeing on her scooter after stealing a smartphone from the tourist in Hoan Kiem District.

She had approached the victim and pretended to invite him to a massage parlor, then hugged him before making off with his phone.

The police returned the phone to its owner.

They also warned of a group of thieves preying on foreign tourists using the same method in the old quarter of Hanoi.