MEDINA, Saudi Arabia, July 2 (UPI) -- A man wore a black-robe dress to mix with female worshippers at a Saudi Arabia mosque and steal from them, officials said.
The man was arrested inside the Prophet's Mosque and was wearing an abaya, which women in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries wear, police told the Gulf News Tuesday.
Thousands of worshippers attend the five daily prayers at the mosque, which is the second most important holy site for Muslims.
Police said men often wear abayas and cover their faces to avoid police checkpoints or to beg for money in front of mosques.
A police spokesperson said a social media report about an arrest of an Iranian man who was dressed in an abaya and giving children poisoned sweets is not true.
"We would like to stress the need to avoid spreading rumours and allegations. Anyone with a question can always contact the reliable sources to know the facts and the truth," he said.
