Street Scams and Crime Prevention

Jim

Jim

Ringleader
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Posts
37,590
Likes collected
138,661
Location
Sutton on Sea, UK
Funster No
1
MH
Adria Panel Van.
Exp
Since 1988
We'll be heading off to a high crime spot next week so will be keeping our wits about us. So many of us slip into 'Holiday Mode" too quickly and then remain there. That is a sure fire way to become a victim of crime.

We should all read or watch items about crime now and again as it is good for keeping our levels of awareness high. To that end I've just posted an article about street scams and crime, have a read. (y). If you agree, disagree, have your own security tips then share in this thread (y)

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Motorhome Travel - Scams and Street Crime

Travelling to Europe in your motorhome? This article let's you know how to spot the scams and stay safe on your travels
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
 
When travelling in your van or MH, never leave valuables, wallets or handbags in a place that can be grabbed by someone through an open cab door window or if the cab door is opened. Yvette always keeps her handbag behind her seat when on the move.

When out and about, Yvette always wears her handbag with the strap over her head and an arm across her handbag to keep it close to her body.
For blokes, get a man-bag to keep your wallet and gubbing in and wear it the same way.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Two on Tour said:
When travelling in your van or MH, never leave valuables, wallets or handbags in a place that can be grabbed by someone through an open cab door window or if the cab door is opened. Yvette always keeps her handbag behind her seat when on the move.

When out and about, Yvette always wears her handbag with the strap over her head and an arm across her handbag to keep it close to her body.
For blokes, get a man-bag to keep your wallet and gubbing in and wear it the same way.
Click to expand...
Keep telling Mrs CC to walk on the inside of me as scrotes will happily drive past and grab a bag if your walking kerbside 😳😳
 
The women carrying a fake baby wrapped in a hibab etc with a fake had round the baby. Leaves a spare had to grab your stuff.
Usually a fake fight or argument starts and people gather seeing what's going on..then they swoop amongst the crowd.
Happens a lot at places like Las ramblas Barcelona.
 
Not quite the same but on a site in Argeles sur Mer. Went to the bins and a kid of about 10 offered me a loaf of bread for 50cents.. I just laughed and with a look of disappointment he threw it in the bin, where his mother had presumably told him to put it.
 
One thing that we do to try and protect us a bit is have an Halifax clarity account each that we don't use for anything but holidays and carry as little cash and valuables as possible, then if one of us did get robbed we would only have one card to cancel that was in no way attached to our usual bank accounts with all the attendant hassle of stopping everything.
I will add there are plenty other cc s , and up to yet , touch wood we havnt been robbed.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
The classic map direction on motorway stop was tried on us is this spring, south of Alicante. Funny as he was asking directions for Cartagena, maybe same crew. I realised immediately what he was up to; his mistake, had his missis behind him to pass her any potential grab.
 
Some good tips without being too scarey. One thing we do is take one credit card that we both use and another two that only one of us has. If I ever had my wallet stolen I could cancel all the cards in it and Liz would still have the one that only she was carrying to use while we get replacements. The spare ones are the ones we don't normally use abroad as the rates aren't so good.
 
Parrot Face said:
Not quite the same but on a site in Argeles sur Mer. Went to the bins and a kid of about 10 offered me a loaf of bread for 50cents.. I just laughed and with a look of disappointment he threw it in the bin, where his mother had presumably told him to put it.
Click to expand...

I love entrepreneurial kids. I'd have given him 50c for effort.'\

Me and my brother aged under 12 stumbled across a rich seam of cash one year when doing 'Penny for the Guy'. Rather than ask for a penny, which often resulted in us getting nothing, We would stop someone and say...

Excuse me Mr, me and my brother have managed to get a penny for our guy, could you change it for two ha'penny's so we have one each. This invariably got us a "There you go, now you have a penny each".

We always had plenty of Brocks Bangers '\
 
Never ever had a wallet. Every one of my mates has had there's robbed.
 
On climbing the steps from a London Tube station my wife was bumped into by an east European looking lady coming down the “wrong” side. The bump was enough to push her down one step.

Angry, and without Jim’s warning at that time we argued for a second or two with the woman throwing her hands around in a “me no understand” mime.

It was only later that evening that my wife found that her purse had been taken from her zipped up backpack during the incident.

We reported the incident to the Police who reviewed CCTV footage and rang us a couple of days later to say that a two accomplices on the step behind my wife had removed the purse. They couldn’t identify them as “known” so that was the end of it.

Thanks to Jim’s article, and our own experience, we are much more wary/observant now.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Good article 👍

Being asked the time may well be checking if your watch is worth nicking.
I only wear a cheap Casio.

Going somewhere with high crime rate?
Don’t wear jewellery, if you do keep it hidden.

If holidaying never carry a fat wallet and especially not in an ass pocket.

Want to heighten you observational skills? Try a holiday in South Africa.
You will also learn how to say no if you go to the markets 😉😊

I’m sure I avoided at least two of what would have been attempts to rob us.
One was being followed in our hire car 😳
 
maison said:
It was only later that evening that my wife found that her purse had been taken from her zipped up backpack during the incident.
Click to expand...
I will never wear a backpack with valuables in when going anywhere crowded. If I have put a backpack handbag on to walk somewhere, then I move it to in front of me when we get anywhere with lots of people about.
 
I saw a program on TV at the top of a tube escalator entering a busy area quite a lot of people sub consciously felt their wallet to make sure it was there effectively advertising it's position!
 
Steve and Denise said:
I got robbed here in England at the age of 20 I GOT MARRIED🤣🤣🤣
Click to expand...
DENISE, I SAY DENISE, are you getting all this? :whatthe: ............ :LOL:

Silver-Fox said:
If holidaying never carry a fat wallet and especially not in an ass pocket.
Click to expand...
I used to, but now I wear what I call my "Benidorm pouch", which is firmly fixed to my waist belt. (y)


Holly's mum said:
I will never wear a backpack with valuables in when going anywhere crowded. If I have put a backpack handbag on to walk somewhere, then I move it to in front of me when we get anywhere with lots of people about.
Click to expand...
I was given that tip on our first visit to Spain, by a smashing Welsh couple known to many MH'ers as Rosemary & Brian.

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
I'm a bit confused about Jim's tip to always keep the fuel tank at least half full. It seems a lot of topping up.
 
Thornebt said:
I'm a bit confused about Jim's tip to always keep the fuel tank at least half full. It seems a lot of topping up.
Click to expand...
It’s a good tip, same with a car at home. We once had that night time call that you don’t want to get. Youngest son at Uni in hospital. Fortunately it was something my Dad had got in the habit of over 20 years previously when my Mum was dying and it had always stuck in my mind.
 
Thornebt said:
I'm a bit confused about Jim's tip to always keep the fuel tank at least half full. It seems a lot of topping up.
Click to expand...

As soon as I am at half a tank, I think about filling up soon. Who knows what will happen in the next 24 hours, sod's law says the day that no garages in a 100 mile radius have any fuel, your fuel light will be on. Mine wont. :D

Friend of mine experienced some road rage with what turned out to be a car full of lads itching for a fight, he was chased all across Leicestershire in his old Landrover, then he ran out of fuel and the subsequent beating had him in hospital for 3 weeks. I wouldn't have run out of fuel. I treat half full as empty and fill up
 
Jim said:
As soon as I am at half a tank, I think about filling up soon. Who knows what will happen in the next 24 hours, sod's law says the day that no garages in a 100 mile radius have any fuel, your fuel light will be on. Mine wont. :D

Friend of mine experienced some road rage with what turned out to be a car full of lads itching for a fight, he was chased all across Leicestershire in his old Landrover, then he ran out of fuel and the subsequent beating had him in hospital for 3 weeks. I wouldn't have run out of fuel. I treat half full as empty and fill up
Click to expand...
I have always done that just for the simple reason of not chanceing running out in the middle of nowhere, never thought about it for security. (y)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top