Child-snatchers target British and Irish tourists in Cyprus

[webfact]

Child-snatchers target British and Irish tourists in Cyprus

PROTARAS, Cyprus - Tourists from the UK and Ireland were forced to flee their hotel after families were targeted by a gang of child-snatchers.

Holidaymakers have told how three youngsters were just seconds from being abducted at the Anastasia Beach Complex, near Protaras, in Cyprus, on Tuesday night.

Now tour operators Thomas Cook have moved around 120 Irish and British holidaymakers from the hotel amid fears for children’s safety, the Irish Mirror reports.

The kids, all under 10, were being led to a car by a man and woman when a sharp-eyed holidaymaker saw the danger and confronted the couple.

The alleged abductors – believed to be Romanians – were quickly grabbed, frogmarched to the hotel office and handed over to local police.

Dad-of-two Greg Letford, 28, from Dundee said: “This Romanian couple were leading the two young children towards a waiting car, another person had a third child up against a wall ready to go too. Someone saw what they were up to and stopped them.

Full story: http://www.eturbonews.com/60365/child-snatchers-target-british-and-irish-tourists-cyprus

-- eTN 2015-06-18

[Credo]

Why are these children being left unattended.

[Lukecan]

I have yet to meet a Romanian who isn't a criminal.

[Scott]

I have yet to meet a Romanian who isn't a criminal.

I take it that you haven't met many Romanians then? I spent considerable time in Romania and have numerous friends from there. I've never met a Romanian who was a criminal, but then this really is about child-snatchers...not conjecture about the nature of all Romanians.

[Seastallion]

How terrible! So glad the onlooker stepped in....that might not happen in many places.

[Seastallion]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you force your 10 year old kids to stay by your side all waking hours while you (and they) are on holiday?

Sounds like holidays with your family are fun-filled.

[Credo]

No, my kids didn't have to stay by my side, but they were supervised. And yes vacations might have been a nightmare, I'll ask them, because they didn't get to run around and talk to a lot of strangers without a responsible person being present.

But my question still stands, why weren't they supervised?

[Chicog]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you force your 10 year old kids to stay by your side all waking hours while you (and they) are on holiday?

Sounds like holidays with your family are fun-filled.

If you're a parent, you're an idiot.

If you're not a parent, you're a bigger idiot.

[NeverSure]

I have yet to meet a Romanian who isn't a criminal.

I take it that you haven't met many Romanians then? I spent considerable time in Romania and have numerous friends from there. I've never met a Romanian who was a criminal, but then this really is about child-snatchers...not conjecture about the nature of all Romanians.

It's confusing. There is of course the legend of the Gypsy child snatchers, but I believe that recently the Gypsies have done some actual child snatching??? Link

Romanian gipsy gang 'snatched 200 children from homes to use them as beggars.' (Telegraph.)

I know the only time someone has tried the pickpocket routine on me it was Gypsies and I was standing looking at the Coliseum in Rome. I don't know what nationality they were but they had the look, dress and all.

[Scott]

My point is that not all Romanians are Gysies and not all Gypsies are criminals, therefore......

But again, we are straying from the topic.

Child beggars and pickpockets, by the way, are not unique to the Gypsies. Anyone who has spent much time in Asia can attest to that.

10 years old is a little old to try to make them a street beggar. They know their names, where they are from and probably have or can use a phone.

[DLang]

a gang of child-snatchers.

Awww.

Isn't the World cute.

[simple1]

I have yet to meet a Romanian who isn't a criminal.

I take it that you haven't met many Romanians then? I spent considerable time in Romania and have numerous friends from there. I've never met a Romanian who was a criminal, but then this really is about child-snatchers...not conjecture about the nature of all Romanians.

It's confusing. There is of course the legend of the Gypsy child snatchers, but I believe that recently the Gypsies have done some actual child snatching??? Link

Romanian gipsy gang 'snatched 200 children from homes to use them as beggars.' (Telegraph.)

I know the only time someone has tried the pickpocket routine on me it was Gypsies and I was standing looking at the Coliseum in Rome. I don't know what nationality they were but they had the look, dress and all.

12 million Roma in Europe who experience a fair amount of institutionalised racist discrimination, although its fair to say Roma have a reputation for petty crime. Some newspaper reports are sensationalised & upon further investigation are proven to be incorrect.

One the other side of the coin the story below where it is believed 502 Roma children were the victims of people traffickers...

"the case of 502 out of 661 Albanian Roma children, who reportedly disappeared from 1998-2002 from the Greek Foundation for children Agia Varvara, and there is particularly great concern about the fact that the above cases were not investigated by the Hellenic authorities"

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2013/08/29/agia-varvara-children-still-missing/

Edited June 18, 2015 by simple1

[humqdpf]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you have to keep all children under surveillance at all times? How will they ever grow up if they are cosseted forever in the grip of parents.

When should we stop this children surveillance? At 12? 15 years old?

Even security guards do shift work and are not expected to be on duty for longer than their shift. Why should parents have to watch intently all the time what their children are doing?

[Credo]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you have to keep all children under surveillance at all times? How will they ever grow up if they are cosseted forever in the grip of parents.

When should we stop this children surveillance? At 12? 15 years old?

Even security guards do shift work and are not expected to be on duty for longer than their shift. Why should parents have to watch intently all the time what their children are doing?

Children need to be supervised in any environment where there is a reasonable chance of danger. So, you make sure that young children aren't left alone in a swimming pool, for example. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on children when they are in a new environment since neither the children nor the parents may be aware of what dangers there are.

[TravelerEastWest]

"Children need to be supervised in any environment where there is a reasonable chance of danger. So, you make sure that young children aren't left alone in a swimming pool, for example. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on children when they are in a new environment since neither the children nor the parents may be aware of what dangers there are. "

100% correct!

Sad - how some parents don't take care of their children - next thing - someone will post that they have every right to take their small kids on bikes without helmets or in cars with no seat belts.

Or let minors go hunting without an adult.

[Seastallion]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you have to keep all children under surveillance at all times? How will they ever grow up if they are cosseted forever in the grip of parents.

When should we stop this children surveillance? At 12? 15 years old?

Even security guards do shift work and are not expected to be on duty for longer than their shift. Why should parents have to watch intently all the time what their children are doing?

Children need to be supervised in any environment where there is a reasonable chance of danger. So, you make sure that young children aren't left alone in a swimming pool, for example. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on children when they are in a new environment since neither the children nor the parents may be aware of what dangers there are.

I don't disagree with you....I agree with you.

But were these kids in a place that there was reasonable chance of danger? Sounds like there were enough friendly adults around, and aware of the kids, for the parents not to be blamed for negligence.

In retrospect, there was danger...but before the incident?

[ezzra]

I have yet to meet a Romanian who isn't a criminal.

I take it that you haven't met many Romanians then? I spent considerable time in Romania and have numerous friends from there. I've never met a Romanian who was a criminal, but then this really is about child-snatchers...not conjecture about the nature of all Romanians.

Probably they were more like Roma people ( gypsies ) than Romanian....

[Davekavo]

Must go to that hotel with kids for holiday .but they would give my kids back and pay me to take the little <deleted> back ...

[ggt]

Unfortunately, Child-snatching is a world problem...the children are most commonly used in sex-trafficking...

And NO...one can not be too careful...if a responsible adult is not watching your child...an adult with sinister design may make their move and you child could be gone forever...

Let the children think they are getting freedom to move about on their on while on vacation...many holiday hotels have supervised activities for children while the adults do their sightseeing...

Better safe than sorry when it comes to children...way too many depraved scumbags in the world today...

[maidee]

i saw an interview of a romanian that stole a (not smart) phone in romania ... 2 years of jail time

after that, they moved to france, the whole family... burglars, pick pockets .... released on bail, over & over

and laughing their ass off, as the laws are so lax and a joke, compared to their home country

[Jonmarleesco]

"Children need to be supervised in any environment where there is a reasonable chance of danger. So, you make sure that young children aren't left alone in a swimming pool, for example. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on children when they are in a new environment since neither the children nor the parents may be aware of what dangers there are. "

100% correct!

Sad - how some parents don't take care of their children - next thing - someone will post that they have every right to take their small kids on bikes without helmets or in cars with no seat belts.

Or let minors go hunting without an adult.

'Sad - how some parents don't take care of their children - next thing - someone will post that they have every right to take their small kids on bikes without helmets or in cars with no seat belts." More than likely. We are in Thailand, after all.

[Jonmarleesco]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you have to keep all children under surveillance at all times? How will they ever grow up if they are cosseted forever in the grip of parents.

When should we stop this children surveillance? At 12? 15 years old?

Even security guards do shift work and are not expected to be on duty for longer than their shift. Why should parents have to watch intently all the time what their children are doing?

There's a logic gap between security guards on shift work and parents watching over their kids. Parental common sense is what is being mooted; no more, no less. I'm not convinced, though, that there was poor parental supervision ... unlike the dubious events in the Madeline McCann affair.

[lemonjelly]

10 year old kids too old to use as beggars, the other use for kids of that age is really scary

[chickenslegs]

The "sharp eyed" holidaymaker who stepped in and prevented this abduction should never have to pay for another drink in his/her life.

A hero.

Edited June 18, 2015 by chickenslegs

[hgma]

The man deserves a medal....how many 'bystanders just look the other way.........

Edited June 18, 2015 by hgma

[MB1]

I have yet to meet a Romanian who isn't a criminal.

I take it that you haven't met many Romanians then? I spent considerable time in Romania and have numerous friends from there. I've never met a Romanian who was a criminal, but then this really is about child-snatchers...not conjecture about the nature of all Romanians.

Maybe you have never met a Romanian criminal in Romania Scott but I've encountered them in the UK, maybe Romania has got rid of all of the criminals from Romania and deported many of them to the UK , regardless of what you feel about your Romanian freinds who are all honest according to you I'm pretty sure many Romanians are infact criminals and are being arrested around the world for criminal activity.... Romanians who leave their country, many of them think it's fair game to rob and steal and get whatever they can...... Some Romanians may be honest but many are not...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2963368/Romanians-EIGHT-times-likely-jailed-Britons.html

Oh and for the record, I don't believe all I read in the press but I do speak to people who work for the authoritys who have to deal with foreign criminals..

[Jimlove]

Romanians, Gypsies - same same useless people ... nothing but trouble where ever they go ... kick them out

[Chicog]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you have to keep all children under surveillance at all times? How will they ever grow up if they are cosseted forever in the grip of parents.

When should we stop this children surveillance? At 12? 15 years old?

Even security guards do shift work and are not expected to be on duty for longer than their shift. Why should parents have to watch intently all the time what their children are doing?

Because it's their job until they can fend for themselves.

[Steely Dan]

Why are these children being left unattended.

Do you have to keep all children under surveillance at all times? How will they ever grow up if they are cosseted forever in the grip of parents.

When should we stop this children surveillance? At 12? 15 years old?

Even security guards do shift work and are not expected to be on duty for longer than their shift. Why should parents have to watch intently all the time what their children are doing?

Children need to be supervised in any environment where there is a reasonable chance of danger. So, you make sure that young children aren't left alone in a swimming pool, for example. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on children when they are in a new environment since neither the children nor the parents may be aware of what dangers there are.

The world has changed and not for the better. At eight or nine years of age I used to go out unattended during the school summer holidays. We were given a time to be back by, that was it. This was the norm not the exception. I dare say if we had been able to afford foreign holidays we would have been supervised due to being in an unfamiliar place.