Malaysia ? A thief rejoiced too early and was caught red-handed while counting his loot not far from the place where he had snatched a woman’s handbag.

The thief was emptying the stolen handbag by the roadside in Kuantan city in eastern Malaysian when his victim caught him with the help of bystanders, The Star newspaper reported Friday. It didn’t say when the incident happened.

The thief had walked into the victim’s office and grabbed her handbag, containing close to $88 and a cell phone, The Star said.

It said the woman chased after him but failed to catch him. She was then heading to the police station with a colleague on a motorcycle when she saw the man by the road behind two parked trucks, emptying her purse.

On seeing the woman shouting at him, the thief threw away the bag and tried to flee. But several truck drivers managed to catch him, The Star said.