This is the moment a Belgian tourist was mugged by a suspected thief on a motorcycle in Indonesia.

Celine van Damme, 39, was walking along the empty street after buying groceries when she was attacked by the alleged drive-by robber in Banyuwangi, East Java, on the morning of October 9.

CCTV footage shows Celine holding a plastic bag in one hand and her wallet in the other, before the helmeted man passed by and plucked it from her.

Celine ran after the suspect but could not catch up to him. She said she returned to her hotel to ask for help. Staff accompanied her to the police station to file a report.

In an October 9 video explaining the brazen theft, Celine said: 'I am visiting Indonesia for now, one week in Java island, and I am now in Banyuwangi. Unfortunately this morning, what happened is that a scooter passed by and grabbed my bag. I had my passport and my bank card, everything, all my money, stolen.'

She also thanked the police and tourism officials for their swift response in ensuring her safety.

AKBP Dewa Putu Eka D, deputy chief of the Banyuwangi Police, said police tracked down and detained the suspect, identified only by the initials 'NH', 34, at his home in Banyuwangi on October 10.

The police chief said: 'We arrested the suspect at his house without resistance. The contents of the wallet that was snatched included 450 US dollars, 310,000 Indonesian rupiah, a passport, and other documents belonging to the victim.'

Cops said they found at the house the suspect's Honda Beat motorcycle and Celine's wallet. The dollar bills inside had been stuffed into a piggy bank.

Authorities believe the theft was unplanned. They suspect NH was driven to commit the crime 'out of economic problems'.

NH was hauled to the police station to be charged for allegedly violating Article 365 of the Criminal Code concerning theft with violence, with a maximum prison sentence of five years.

An overjoyed Celine said she was grateful that her valuables were returned intact. She said in English: 'Thank you very much, thank you very much. I am happy with the work of the police here in rapidly catching the perpetrators.'

She said she planned to continue her trip to Lombok island in West Nusa Tenggara after leaving Banyuwangi.