My parents have jsut been "swindled" in a motorway service station just past Milan. THey stopped and my mother was inside whilst my father was stood next to his car. A car stopped in the space next to him and the bloke got out and spread a map on his (the theifs) bonnet and asked for directions. My father turned round for no more than 15 or so seconds, by which time they had been in the car and stolen his wallet (with cards) and other documents and money, and my mothers handbag with her medication and some jewellery.
I suppose it could happen anywhere so just a heads up for you all
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Leaving wallets in a car is just - I am afraid - plain stoopid...
Last edited by: madf on Wed 9 Jun 10 at 15:13
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The car wasn't left unattended, he was no more than 1m from it at all times. Thanks for that though, much appreciated
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It's the sort of thing that can happen to anyone, even someone who thinks himself competent in most situations. In the late seventies, doing a bit of journalism in Nigeria, I went to the airport to find someone coming to England who could post a letter full of political gossip to a colleague, really to make sure the letter arrived in two days rather than two weeks as it might have done if posted in the normal way.
I found a group of British teachers some of whom were about to fly out. They were all sitting round a big table in the bar with a couple of Nigerians I assumed to be friends of theirs. Found someone willing to take the letter and stepped over to the bar three feet away to buy him a drink to cover the cost of the stamp in London, leaving a Fulani saddlebag thingy I used to carry my stuff on the table in front of everyone.
Later found that £300 of traveller's cheques had gone from the bag, and they were a great nuisance to get replaced there I can tell you. Cashed late the same night in Singapore I was told. Honest people just don't understand how quick and slick a practised toerag can be in action. But there's a twist: the toerag was in fact some sort of secret policeman, as the letter was taken off my chosen courier by immigration and opened and read before being returned to him (he enclosed a note to that effect when he posted the letter). So I don't think the OP's parents have anything to be ashamed of. Once bitten twice shy though.
I don't want to give the impression that that's what Lagos is always like. The airport goes through mutations over the years. Obviously that wasn't a good year. There are crooks in all airports obviously.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Wed 9 Jun 10 at 16:01
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ive just had my wallet emptied by a wholesaler
im sure he made the prices up as he filled in the invoice
shant be going back there in a hurry
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>> I don't want to give the impression that that's what Lagos is always like.
Having been in and out of that 'Centre of Excellence' often over the years, I've learned to keep one hand on my wallet, and the other on the family jewels...
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This and other threads do make me wonder if the natural easy going nature of the majority of well mannered British people is regarded by some as making us easy targets.
The majority of us do treat other people respectfully and with trust because thats how we are.
Please don't say i'm being racist here or turn this into another BNP themed thread, this applies as much to British scum as any other countries scum wherever they happen to wash up, without doubt those who pull this kind of stunt are exactly that.
Hope this incident didn't spoil the parents trip too much PR.
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i tend not to wear my hanky on my head these days when im abroad just in case im seen as a englander
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A very similar attempt was made on me in a service area just outside Glasgow, by a guy with a scottish accent asking the way to Edinburgh.
I promptly locked the car, explained in my best 'cockinese' (mock cockney) I wasn't from around there and pointed out the nearby BIBs could probably be of more help.
He lost interest. ;>)
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>> i tend not to wear my hanky on my head these days when im abroad just in case im seen as a englander
Quite right bb... underpants are just as good for keeping the sun off when you are getting discreetly plasterado wiv yer mates...
'Oi! Stavros! Where's my pint of bleedin ouzo then?'
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The way I would deal with this (in me ed, like) is to think that if your Father had tumbled what the geezers were up to he would have naturally remonstrated with them,
for which he would have quite possibly lost more than mere mone£
Thanks for the warning ~ keep em peeled.
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I'm afraid I find this thread discriminatory to folk who ask for directions, to all Italians, and to anyone who has ever set foot in the place.
It also unfairly suggests cartographers are making tools to be used in crime.
As such, this thread should be at the very lest locked, and whoever started it should be shot.
As for tourists, they should keep their traps shut when they are robbed and be grateful they were let into the country in the first place.
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Haha thanks for the replies (most of you). They are on their way south to the house we have over there, they are shaken but not too bad. Luckily he keeps some money in a money belt so they should have enough to at least get there.
Funny thing is he is the most paranoid person I know when it comes to crime, takes all reasonable precautions all the time. He is also a decent chap (I would say that lol) who will try and help anyone! Maybe not so much now..
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PR,
From your description, I think I might have fallen for it.
Like to think I would not, but the criminals who carry out these thefts are clever at what they do.
They have to be, because most victims are sensible and reasonably worldly-wise.
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Yes he was literally stood 1m from his car! As stated above though, probably better he didnt turn around and notice, might have led to something altogether more nasty. Certainly a slick operation.
Just spoke to them, they are more philosophical now, so thats ok.
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This is not going to make me popular, I bet they were ru.......................................
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ddy crooks.
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Ive just got off the phone to him, he isnt sure exactly where they were from but reckoned they were Eastern European...
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''he isnt sure exactly where they were from but reckoned they were''
How do you spell a muffled snort whilst trying and failing to stifle a larff?...hhmmffffghhh.?
No offence to you or you parents meant PR...this refers to a.n.other very recent thread.
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I know!! Admittedly is vaig, they werent Italian, and short of them telling him where they were from you will never know for certain, though you can probably take an educated guess
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PR sorry to hear this. I have travelled a bit in my time and scumbags are everywhere. Keep safe.
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Youve excelled yourself iffi with this.
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My mother has had a handbag grabbed from a car seat in a car park while she was sat beside it in - forget where in France but culprit was described as North African.
Several years ago we were approached by a young lad ot the Carrefour petrol station just outside Reims, he spoke English and claimed they had just had an accident and could we help. Just after 08:00 so the place was deserted.
Followed him across the car park, HE WALKED and we FOLLOWED in the car, I was not going to let him into the car on the basis of that story. Sure enough there was an English registered car with a damaged front end and a French van with damage.
We got out to help and I immediately LOCKED our car.
It is COMMON SENSE.
The 3 lads were legit and going to Nice for a concert, didn't speak French, our bilingual accident form helped as they didn't have one at all and the French drivers was only in French (obviously). French van driver thanked us for helping out. They were not going to make it to Nice in that car either - probably in deep trouble for writing off his mothers car in France, and he could not get through to his mother on the phone!
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I would agree in that situation. However, he wasn't approached for help whilst in the car. He parked, got out and stood next to the drivers door whilst waiting for my mother to visit the "cabinetta".
How many people get out to stand next to the car, empty it of valuables and lock it, to merely stretch their legs. Not to nip in to the shop, or to the loo or anything that involves moving more than 1 metre or so from the door....??
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>>
>> How many people get out to stand next to the car, empty it of valuables
>> and lock it, to merely stretch their legs. Not to nip in to the shop,
>> or to the loo or anything that involves moving more than 1 metre or so
>> from the door....??
>>
Exactly these people are expertly practised at the scam, watching and waiting for just the right moment. If your father had turned around and tried to grab the thief a couple more would have appeared from nowhere and then start jostling him and claiming to any bystanders that your father had tried to rob HIM.
A former colleague visted China, took a taxi to his hotel and whilst getting out of the cab (the driver remained behind the wheel) he THOUGHT he was being careful and keeping hold of all his bags, he climed out of the cab holding his case in one hand and immediately reached back for his laptop case but in the 2 seconds before he could pick up the laptop the taxi driver - who had appeared disinterested gazing out of the window waiting patiently for his fare - floored the accelator and roared off with the passenger door open, the laptop being much more valuable on the black market that the fare!
J
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Driving in Italy - word of warning - madf
