Mobile Phone Thieves - Warning

[lazarus]

It's been done for years in Barcelona. In tourist areas people do it by putting a map in front of you and asking for directions - whilst they pick your pocket.

 

The reason I am "defensive" about someone blaming a particular nationality on the basis of how they look is that it is sheer racism, and I certainly don't go around blaming a whole nationality for something that someone told me.

 

---------- Post added 11-02-2014 at 17:33 ----------

 

 

Excellent - so that's how you know. I did wonder.

 

Describe the look.

 

Just why is it racist to call a Romanian a Romanian? P.C. again.

[Dannyno]

Just why is it racist to call a Romanian a Romanian? P.C. again.

 

It's not. But nobody knows who this was or what their background is. So the end result is increased prejudice against a particular group, based on nothing.

[lazarus]

It's not. But nobody knows who this was or what their background is. So the end result is increased prejudice against a particular group, based on nothing.

 

She WAS Romanian, its been proved and not by me.

[dutch]

The big banks do same thing by charging small business into bankruptcy just to grab their assets for themselves.

 

So called good English people can be just as big of thieves as any other race, only sneakier.

Edited February 12, 2014 by dutch

[Radomu]

I thought I'd share an unpleasant anecdote that happened to me yesterday, primarily as a warning.

 

I heard from my girlfriend that Forge press (the student-run newspaper at the University of Sheffield) once published an article about a scam where someone would come with a map and ask for directions, and leave you noticing that the phone/wallet that you left on the table disappeared while they distracted you.

 

Yesterday, I almost got my phone stolen in the KFC on West Street. I was having lunch there with my girlfriend and a man in his early 20s approached me with a leaflet of what looked like a museum, asking me 'which way is this' in a mumbly way (done on purpose to distract and confuse me). My girlfriend immediately noticed what was going on and glared back and forth between him and my phone on the table that he was concealing. After a couple of seconds, he noticed that he was exposed, and left the KFC. I was completely confused by what happened, but because my girlfriend was aware of this scam from the article, she explained to me the situation. It took me some time to emotionally come to terms with what just happened.

 

Has anyone experienced anything similar? It sounds like something that would happen to tourists in Paris or Rome.

[boldforester]

I thought I'd share an unpleasant anecdote that happened to me yesterday, primarily as a warning.

 

I heard from my girlfriend that Forge press (the student-run newspaper at the University of Sheffield) once published an article about a scam where someone would come with a map and ask for directions, and leave you noticing that the phone/wallet that you left on the table disappeared while they distracted you.

 

Yesterday, I almost got my phone stolen in the KFC on West Street. I was having lunch there with my girlfriend and a man in his early 20s approached me with a leaflet of what looked like a museum, asking me 'which way is this' in a mumbly way (done on purpose to distract and confuse me). My girlfriend immediately noticed what was going on and glared back and forth between him and my phone on the table that he was concealing. After a couple of seconds, he noticed that he was exposed, and left the KFC. I was completely confused by what happened, but because my girlfriend was aware of this scam from the article, she explained to me the situation. It took me some time to emotionally come to terms with what just happened.

 

Has anyone experienced anything similar? It sounds like something that would happen to tourists in Paris or Rome.

 

Again and again in this thread...."Phone left on the table". Why not put it in your bag, or pocket, or somewhere where it's not obvious?! "Emotionally coming to terms" with "almost" having your phone stolen? Wow, wait till life catches up with you properly.

[monkey104]

Again and again in this thread...."Phone left on the table". Why not put it in your bag, or pocket, or somewhere where it's not obvious?! "Emotionally coming to terms" with "almost" having your phone stolen? Wow, wait till life catches up with you properly.

 

I have to ask ' why leave your phone on the table'?

Are the folk you are out with so boring you will feel the need to have your phone at hand in order to entertain yourself?

I went out for dinner with the wife the other night and we had a right old chat, phones left at home and guess what? The world didn't end.

 

I did see a sign outside a bar on Eccy road that had a sign saying " sorry no wifi. Talk to your mates and get drunk"

[boldforester]

I have to ask ' why leave your phone on the table'?

Are the folk you are out with so boring you will feel the need to have your phone at hand in order to entertain yourself?

I went out for dinner with the wife the other night and we had a right old chat, phones left at home and guess what? The world didn't end.

 

I did see a sign outside a bar on Eccy road that had a sign saying " sorry no wifi. Talk to your mates and get drunk"

 

Monkey, you have put it much better than I did! That sign was up, metaphorically, outside every pub, club and restaurant all the time we were growing up, socialising etc. Last night (late) I passed 2 girls walking up Hanover Way. Alone, yap-yap into phone, oblivious. I could have been the Boston Strangler for all they knew. Err....

 

---------- Post added 31-05-2015 at 20:14 ----------

 

For a start I didn't say I saw it happening, the lady who lost the phone told us. The Romanians I've seen all have the same look.

 

They are also on the loose in the hours of darkness, transforming themselves into giant neo-Marxist rats who will invade your house and eat up everything in it.

[Radomu]

Again and again in this thread...."Phone left on the table". Why not put it in your bag, or pocket, or somewhere where it's not obvious?! "Emotionally coming to terms" with "almost" having your phone stolen? Wow, wait till life catches up with you properly.

 

I'm known to be very oblivious about crime in general, coming from a very safe country like Japan originally. Back home I can go to a restaurant or a cafe with a laptop, and leave it there while I go to the bathroom. I understand that the same does not apply here, and I try to be as careful as possible, but nonetheless I have my habits.

 

I have never had anything stolen from me, ever. So yes, it was quite difficult to deal with it, and it bothered me a lot.

[jezzyjj]

I have to ask ' why leave your phone on the table'??

Here's a thought sitting down with a big phone in your trouser pocket is uncomfy. Lots of people go out drinking without a jacket on [where I keep my phone], so placing it on table makes sense for them.

 

Are the folk you are out with so boring you will feel the need to have your phone at hand in order to entertain yourself

Another alternative, you can use a phone in a social manner you know.

You can show people photos of your new rabbit/motorbike/allotment or whatever to illustrate a conversation.

You could be waiting for a text from your mates to organise where to meet up later on.

And so on.

 

This doesn't mean there aren't people who will engage more with people elsewhere using their phone than those they are with, which I find a bit rude. But then that's a good way to realise they are not worth bothering with.

 

---------- Post added 05-06-2015 at 02:14 ----------

 

I'm known to be very oblivious about crime in general, coming from a very safe country like Japan originally. Back home I can go to a restaurant or a cafe with a laptop, and leave it there while I go to the bathroom. I understand that the same does not apply here, and I try to be as careful as possible, but nonetheless I have my habits.

 

I have never had anything stolen from me, ever. So yes, it was quite difficult to deal with it, and it bothered me a lot.

Sadly some people lack the empathy to realise how others can be affected by things like theft, burglary etc. Ignore them.

Being in places where you do not have to constantly guard your possessions is really, really nice. A bit of shock if that is your norm and then you come here. Having to constantly lock everything or not leave stufff unattended is a an incredible drag. I wish we had Japanese crime levels. Though I've heard umbrellas tend to go missing.