By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

FIVE Japanese tourists lost a total of $1,907 in cash and property when their handbag was stolen while they were at Paupau Beach.
Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Lei Ogumoro Uludong said the incident happened on Friday afternoon but was reported to the police on Monday evening.
The victims, four men and a woman, went to Paupau at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
The victims parked their rented scooters in the southern part of the parking lot and placed their belongings in a handbag which they secured in one of the scooters.
Later that afternoon, the victims discovered that the handbag was missing.
The handbag contained five wallets, credit cards, driver’s licenses, $1,150, 90,000 yen and other items.
DPS said the total estimated value of the stolen items was $1,907.
The incident was not reported immediately because the victims were not sure what to do in this case, DPS said.
The victims did notify their insurance agency in Japan and that agency contacted Hotel Nikko where the victims were staying.
Nikko reported the incident to the police on Monday night.
The victims arrived on Saipan on Feb. 21 and were scheduled to depart Tuesday.