Beware pickpockets!!

[SourBrandy]

A friend of mine was at Lambousa Market yesterday and had her purse lifted from her bag. So ladies just beware and keep your handbag closely guarded. Such a shame for North Cyprus, as we've never had to worry about things like this before.

[kiplet]

Oh no ! I suppose it was just a matter of time. North is changing so much.

[kaiserphil]

Isn't it just? Such a shame to see it deteriorating like this.

Happily, where we live in Bavaria the crime rate is very low.

However, seeing the number of immigrants from Eastern Europe and the Balkans moving in, watch this space.

Beggars now outside the banks and Post Offices!

[come_on_aylin]

There was a sidebar in the Cyprus Today saying 2 Bulgarian women living in South Cyprus were arrested on suspicion of pickpocketing after crossing into the North. They are accused of stealing a wallet in Girne's Ordu Pazari and pocketing 360 TL before dumping the wallet in a dustbin.

[Owl Lady]

Well done, for getting them so quickly.

[kiplet]

Policing in the North usually results in villains being arrested pretty quickly. Let's hope this sort of crime does not rise.

[scubadubaqueen]

Usually have a table at Lambousa but not last Saturday due to a prior engagement, but in March this year I had several items stolen one Saturday. I realised afterwards that it was a couple of young tourist women and 2 children. They stood out a mile being the way they were dressed in March, and by the time I realised there was no sign of them. I think given it is now tourist season that we have to look out for such people. I certainly learnt a lesson. And it was the only time it has happened in over a year of going to Lambousa, and this was 3 items at once. Kids were clearly trained and the women distracting. Gypsies in a nutshell.

Sorry for the lady who lost her purse, horrible violation, and so personal. It happened to me once in the UK, and I found out who did it by contacting Tesco about my points vouchers to be told they had been spent that afternoon in X store! I contacted the store, spoke to the security manager, who obtained the CCTV footage, and found out exactly who it was! I knew the person, and guess what? The police did nothing because the person went to the police station with a solicitor and claimed I had given them my purse! Despite my having reported it as being stolen! At least here they often catch the culprit and do something about it.

[bubbles]

Sorry to hear about the lady's purse.

Talking about beggars,, last month I was parked up on lemar carpark (karakum) waiting
For my hubby finishing his work at 'kirni piliç' (chicken shop)
When all of a sudden knock knock on the window, untill I saw a turkish lady standing there
Holding her hands out saying something.
And so I opened the window and ask her nicely in Turkish please go. Then I closed the window again
But she was still standing there speaking through the glass lol
She then walked around the car to the other side as my son was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time
And she was trying to ask him for money aswell (12 year old)!
My son looked at me and said 'oh mum tell her to get lost!' Lol
But she went after.
Then I watched her walking off in the rear mirrow as she had targeted a rent car and trying her luck with the other people. But they just drove off.
But when I told my hubby about her after, he said he has seen her a few times walking around both carparks there
Begging.

She's probably got money and nice house anyway!

[Groucho]

There was some timely advice in the paper the other day saying carry a second dummy purse/wallet with no cash and old out of date fake 'credit' cards... old Tesco clubcards etc. Keep your proper purse somewhere safer than the top of your handbag or your back pocket too.

[bubbles]

Think I'd make a trap and tie fishing wire to the dummy purse. Then watch them run a mile through a crowded area.
What you think?

[Ragged Robin]

Oh dear ! I have had eighteen happy years without having to worry about that kind of thing ..........and now its happening here, and to think that there was a time when one didnt even need to lock house doors!

When I was in the UK Police advice was to carry only as much cash as you needed in a purse (or back pocket) and tuck extra money and cards away somewhere else - makes sense especially when you are somewhere like a market where you are paying cash and taking your purse out of you bag several times - and limits your losses. Also flashing about a lot of money and cards puts temptation in the way of the genuinely needy who may think you have so much you can afford to lose it

[sophie]

Ladies, when it comes to someone picking our bags, we're nearly all as bad as one another. How many of us that have shoulder or hand bags with a zip on the top, actually do the zip up? Like me, most just keep stuffing things in the top) I did a bit of a survey amongst friends and colleagues a while back and not one admitted they regularly did the zip up. I look at quite a lot of charity shop bags and its obvious that nost zips on the top of bags are rarely used. I'm terrible I know and in fact am starting to make a decision on a daily basis TO CHECK BEFORE LEAVING THE HOUSE (similar to men perhaps!!), or not buying bags with a top zip, but have a flap over the top and a fastener. BTW, never hang your shoulder bag over the back of you chair in public places. I once saw a bloke in a busy UK pub walk from the gents to the front door - in that short time he unhooked three shoulder bags and a sheep skin coat from a chair back. He was never caught. They suspected there was a car waiting outside with a door wide open and the bags etc were just chucked inside. It was all over in less that 5 minutes.

[Dalartokat]

There was a sidebar in the Cyprus Today saying 2 Bulgarian women living in South Cyprus were arrested on suspicion of pickpocketing after crossing into the North. They are accused of stealing a wallet in Girne's Ordu Pazari and pocketing 360 TL before dumping the wallet in a dustbin.

There is a thread running on a forum on the South side saying they were targeted by 2 women in IKEA by bumping into them. They were quick to react to what was happening and the purse was thrown back into the trolley. The husband ran after the women and he believed they were Eastern European. Their posting was June 11th.

[niceone]

I had my purse stolen in the uk a few years ago when I was shopping, I had emptied all my coins into my coin jar before I left home intending to pay by card as I had no notes.I immediately went and cancelled my cards so all they got was a purse, ever since then I always keep my bag zipped up, don't wait until it happens to you, you may lose more than I did