Warning ! Bag snatchers at large

[Nevo]

Now I am generally a very careful person. Yesterday I was in Sukkhumvit. Being a little early for a meeting I decided I was a bit peckish so went into McDonalds Robinson Dept Store. I ordered my food and found a quiet table near the window. I had a briefcase type holdall with me which I carefully wedged between my foot and the window. I mean wedged as well - asuming that if anyone tried to take it I would know straight away. I ate my meal (about 10 minutes) - got ready to leave and - bag gone. It had my wallet with all my credit cards, driving licence, health card, safety deposit box key and my car keys, my house keys my mobile phone etc etc. Not much money fortunately - I had hesitated before going in as to wether to draw out B 10,000 as I was planning a quiet trip to Pattaya today - BUT I DID'NT !! The manager of McDonalds was excellent but nobody SAW anything !!! We went to the police, Lumphini and no joke the place was packed with people who had had their bags taken in Big C coffee shop, KFC Siam Square etc etc. A group of eleven British tourists told me a man came to their table and told them they had dropped B20 on the floor. As they all looked under the table the man stole a bag containing $1000, their passports, their plane tickets.....they were just about to leave for the airport !!

The police, as usual, were unhelpful to say the least. Said a gang of Phillipinos were working the fast food and coffee shops.

PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL !!

Does anyone know what I need to do to get my British Driving Licence replaced??? I live in Bangkok. Would the B. Embassy help ? (I Know B.Embassy and the word help don't go together usually !! )

PS. The Manager of McDonalds was fantastic- he translated at the cop shop, paid for the taxis, offered to lend me money etc whereas they told me the Manager in KFC said "Mai ru" and left them to it !

[terdsak_12]

Must be the Phillipinos, couldn't possibly be locals!!!

[camerata]

The police, as usual, were unhelpful to say the least. Said a gang of Phillipinos were working the fast food and coffee shops.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. You're in good company, though. A few months ago the prime minister's wife had her handbag lifted while she was at the Oriental Shop in the Emporium. Filipinos again. I occasionally get approached by Filipino scam artists in shopping malls - as soon as I tell them I've been in LOS 20 years they disappear.

[joe beets]

Must be the Phillipinos, couldn't possibly be locals!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And I can remember when it was the Burmese.

-Sigh-

Who's next in the rotation?

Sorry for your loss.

jb

[Nordlys]

I occasionally get approached by Filipino scam artists in shopping malls - as soon as I tell them I've been in LOS 20 years they disappear.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How do they approach to you?

[daleyboy]

I occasionally get approached by Filipino scam artists in shopping malls - as soon as I tell them I've been in LOS 20 years they disappear.

How do they approach to you?

With their feet, left then right then left then right! Sorry couldnt help myself I personally have never been approched by anyone, maybe because i am quite scary looking.

There was one occasion where i was in the cinema with my friend and our wives, we stood for the national anthem and my friend felt someone touch his a55, he thought it was his wife, but when he asked her she said she didnt, he then realised someone had nicked his wallet. He whispered to me what had just happened, we looked around and saw 2 suss looking guys sat behind him.

My wife got up and left the cinema and went and got the police while we kept an eye on them, she came back and the police turned the lights on in the cinema. Went to the 2 guys sat behind us searched them and found nothing, we found my friends wallet on the floor under their seats, the police said they couldnt do anything because they didnt have the wallet in their possesion, they said his wallet must have fallen out of his trousers.

Couldnt believe what the police were saying, how the &lt;deleted&gt; does his wallet fall out of his trousers over the seat and lands under their seat!!!!!

TiT

[bkkmadness]

You should never leave anything in the back pocket, wallet or phone. I told my gf this numerous times and she never learned until someone had her nokia out of her back pocket at a kanchanaburi club. Its just too easy to steal from someones back pocket.

Bag wise, I always put something on the seat next to me, its too stop me forgetting to take it more than anything else.

[daleyboy]

You should never leave anything in the back pocket, wallet or phone.  I told my gf this numerous times and she never learned until someone had her nokia out of her back pocket at a kanchanaburi club.  Its just too easy to steal from someones back pocket.

Bag wise, I always put something on the seat next to me, its too stop me forgetting to take it more than anything else.

I agree matey shouldnt ever leave anything in your back pocket. I always have a zip stiched into a front pocket on all my jeans and shorts i use in Thailand. This will make it bl00dy difficult to steal anything

[Nordlys]

My wife got up and left the cinema and went and got the police while we kept an eye on them, she came back and the police turned the lights on in the cinema. Went to the 2 guys sat behind us searched them and found nothing, we found my friends wallet on the floor under their seats, the police said they couldnt do anything because they didnt have the wallet in their possesion, they said his wallet must have fallen out of his trousers.

Couldnt believe what the police were saying, how the &lt;deleted&gt; does his wallet fall out of his trousers over the seat and lands under their seat!!!!!

TiT

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, after all that fuss of having cops in the theater while the cinema screening is in progress, you, your wife and friends sat on the same seat and watched the movie to the end with the suspected pick-pocketers in the back seat??

BTW I don't think police anywhere can do anything about it unless those suspects were in posession of your friend's wallet.

[daleyboy]

My wife got up and left the cinema and went and got the police while we kept an eye on them, she came back and the police turned the lights on in the cinema. Went to the 2 guys sat behind us searched them and found nothing, we found my friends wallet on the floor under their seats, the police said they couldnt do anything because they didnt have the wallet in their possesion, they said his wallet must have fallen out of his trousers.

Couldnt believe what the police were saying, how the &lt;deleted&gt; does his wallet fall out of his trousers over the seat and lands under their seat!!!!!

TiT

So, after all that fuss of having cops in the theater while the cinema screening is in progress, you, your wife and friends sat on the same seat and watched the movie to the end with the suspected pick-pocketers in the back seat??

BTW I don't think police anywhere can do anything about it unless those suspects were in posession of your friend's wallet.

No the film was only about 15 minutes in when the police came in. I wanted to get up and chin them but the wife wouldnt let me, she wanted the police involved so as usual she got her way as i am under the

As for the police not doing anything i think in most countries they would at least be arrested and taken in for questioning, even if they are not charged.

[britmaveric]

Amazes me how you got your bag snatched - u had your briefcase wedged between your feet. Why not your bag? You need to be paranoid - least I am because quite easy for these pro theives to snatch when you are an easy mark.

Edited July 22, 2005 by britmaveric

[Nordlys]

No the film was only about 15 minutes in when the police came in. I wanted to get up and chin them but the wife wouldnt let me, she wanted the police involved so as usual she got her way as i am under the

As for the police not doing anything i think in most countries they would at least be arrested and taken in for questioning, even if they are not charged.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That was a wise decision on your wife's part.

I don't think my TW has the guts to call the authority and report somebody's wrongdoing at their presence.

But what kind of a country is it that you can get arrested for somebody in front of you dropping stuffs from your pockets?? It's easy for one to drop things from pocket when seating. I have dropped and lost cell phone and other items before, and am glad that didn't make someone a pick pocketing suspect. I'm not saying those guys behind you didn't do it.

Edited July 22, 2005 by Nordlys

[daleyboy]

No the film was only about 15 minutes in when the police came in. I wanted to get up and chin them but the wife wouldnt let me, she wanted the police involved so as usual she got her way as i am under the

As for the police not doing anything i think in most countries they would at least be arrested and taken in for questioning, even if they are not charged.

That was a wise decision on your wife's part.

I don't think my TW has the guts to call the authority and report somebody's wrongdoing at their presence.

But what kind of a country is it that you can get arrested for somebody in front of you dropping stuffs from your pockets?? It's easy for one to drop things from pocket when seating. I have dropped and lost cell phone and other items before, and am glad that didn't make someone a pick pocketing suspect. I'm not saying those guys behind you didn't do it.

It was obvious to everyone there, that they had taken it, laws of physics say that it isnt possible for the wallet to fall out of his pocket and land 3 feet behind him underneath the seat behind, not just under the front edge of the seat but right at the back of the seat. In the U.K if you are accused of a crime then you will at least be asked to accompany the police to the station to answer some questions. Even if you are not charged.

My wife didnt want to go to the police but she knew if she didnt i would have dealt with it my way, and she didnt want that, either i would have kicked the living daylights out of them or i would have tried and had the living daylights kicked out of me(most probable outcome) or i would have been arrested. As the likely outcome would have been one of the 2 last options, she did the wise thing and got the police.

Ahhh for the sane lady in my life, when i get all heated up about things. I forget now the Thai for hot heart, sure someone will furnish the answer to this.

[The Dude]

That royally blows man. You hate to hear about chit like that. I know that I never carry my wallet with in BKK ever, unless I'm catching a flight. I only carry what cash I will need. This has been my practice for 3 years of living here and has served well. All valuables are locked up right tight in a lockbox

[Nordlys]

It was obvious to everyone there, that they had taken it, laws of physics say that it isnt possible for the wallet to fall out of his pocket and land 3 feet behind him underneath the seat behind, not just under the front edge of the seat but right at the back of the seat. In the U.K if you are accused of a crime then you will at least be asked to accompany the police to the station to answer some questions. Even if you are not charged.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Weren't there people next to them who were willing to testify against them to the cops?

I have to ask again.....

You watched the movie to the end with these folks behind you?

Edited July 22, 2005 by Nordlys

[daleyboy]

It was obvious to everyone there, that they had taken it, laws of physics say that it isnt possible for the wallet to fall out of his pocket and land 3 feet behind him underneath the seat behind, not just under the front edge of the seat but right at the back of the seat. In the U.K if you are accused of a crime then you will at least be asked to accompany the police to the station to answer some questions. Even if you are not charged.

Weren't there people next to them who were willing to testify against them to the cops?

I have to ask again.....

You watched the movie to the end with these folks behind you?

Nope nobody saw anything Usual see no evil hear no evil attitude.

Are you being funny about watching the film till the end? I did mention in my previous post we only saw about 15 minutes of it, no great shame really as it was the crappy princess diaries that the wife wanted to watch.

[haha]

I never have any problems like that. but then I don't "advertise".

when I go out, I never carry any credit cards, etc. all I carry is about 1000 baht, and that's it.

my wallet looks like a wreck, always goes in my front pocket. and I dress pretty casual.

seems to work. nobody has ever bothered to rob me. (knock on wood).

...if I get robbed after this, I'll start carrying ONLY 500 baht around.

[terdsak_12]

I don't carry a wallet around, leave it in the car all the time, when I'm out and about I just carry my cash in my front shirt pocket, works for me, never been rumbled in 13 years here.

[Nam Kao]

I carry my wallet in my front pocket, no problems so far. Sounds like i

should just carry cash and copy of passport

Baht mak mak goes in my shoe

[siamesekitty]

Ahhh for the sane lady in my life, when i get all heated up about things. I forget now the Thai for hot heart, sure someone will furnish the answer to this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ใจร้อน- jai ron

[daleyboy]

Ahhh for the sane lady in my life, when i get all heated up about things. I forget now the Thai for hot heart, sure someone will furnish the answer to this.

ใจร้อน- jai ron

Thank you kitty i knew it was something like that