A French tourist was arrested for reportedly stealing a busker's money in Taiwan.

Witnesses said the drunk holidaymaker, identified by local media as Jia, had been harassing street performers in the Ximending shopping district in Taipei.

Footage shows the intoxicated visitor wearing a red top and knee-length shorts dancing and smiling in the middle of the road at around 6 pm on November 4.

One bystander said: 'The blond man not only harassed a street performer by blowing on her face and pressing his lips against hers several times, but also took money from the donation box before denying he had stolen it.'

Local reports said Jia had been causing trouble in the area for several days.

On October 26, he was also reported to the police for refusing to pay for a hair-dyeing service at a salon. He allegedly yelled at staff and poked customers with a cigarette during the confrontation.

The salon owner said: ‘His credit card could not be processed, and he had no cash. Officers intervened and helped him complete the payment.'

Residents have since called for the arrest of the unruly foreigner, who entered the country on a tourist visa and continued to cause disturbances in public.

Chen Wei-hsun, chief of Ximending Police Station under the Wanhua Precinct, said: ‘Officers at the scene immediately took the man back to the police station. The case is being investigated on charges of intimidation and assault.'