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/Sounds like "poon" + "ga" (as in "garden")/

A street pickpocket who steals wallets, phones, and purses with speed and skill. In Argentina and Uruguay, a "punga" is the thief who robs you on the bus or the subway so smoothly you don't even realize it happened until you reach for your pocket and it's empty.

Example

"Un punga me robó el celular en el subte. -> A pickpocket stole my phone on the subway."

"Cuidado con los pungas en el recital, no lleves nada en los bolsillos. -> Watch out for pickpockets at the concert, don't carry anything in your pockets."

Regional synonyms:

Tipo una despedida con chiste integrado. En lugar de decir ahí nos vemos, le metes los vidrios porque suena parecido. Es de esas frases que te sacan una sonrisa aunque la hayas escuchado mil veces.