Eastern European gangs targeting elderly and infirm return to Tenerife for winter pickings

[Janet]

It's that time of year again, it seems. Bands of Romanian and Bulgarian street thieves are descending on the islands in what the local press is describing as reminiscent of migrating animals across the Serengeti. They've spent the summer on the mainland and in the Balearic Islands, and are now heading to Tenerife. The main tourist areas in the south are their grazing territory, and their particular prey is the elderly tourist.

The National Police in Playa de las Américas are ready for them, and might this time be arresting them on charges of organized crime rather than pickpocketing: as such they can be remanded in custody and removed from the streets on a first offence. There is no substitute for self protection, however, and police say that holidaymakers should be on guard everywhere, but particularly at the beach, in supermarkets, in bus queues, and especially in hotels. Be on guard. JA

[El Profesor]

Yes, I've heard from friends of thier elderly parents being violently mugged in broad daylight in the quiet villages of the Basque country over the last couple of months ....... lacerations from chains being ripped from their necks etc. OAP's.

Rumanians apparently.
They must have been hounded out by now.

[Janet]

I'm reminding people again about pickpockets because I received a sad email only this morning from a 95-year-old regular visitor to Tenerife who was the victim of pickpockets in El Médano yesterday. The thieves operated as a couple, with a woman coming to sit near the poor man, and being joined moments later by a man.  It was only on getting back to his apartment that their victim realized his wallet had been removed from his shoulder bag, and by the time he tried to stop his card, €600 had been withdrawn. Be careful out there. JA

[Janet]

Police say that they have scored a major success against these thieves with the arrest of 17 Romanians in south Tenerife last weekend on charges including fraud, criminal deception, and theft. No-one should drop their guard, however, because police say they think around some 400 are  operating here at present. Police say they are doing so in a mafia fashion and, as such, are being treated as individuals involved in organized crime. As I posted in October, they can therefore be remanded in custody, rather than being released to resume stealing. Let's wish the police luck to continue getting these predators off the streets. JA

[El Profesor]

............ It was only on getting back to his apartment that their victim realized his wallet had been removed from his shoulder bag, and by the time he tried to stop his card, €600 had been withdrawn.

I'd love to know how they managed that!

[Janet]

This was queried on FB too, but I've confirmed it actually happened. This was a very elderly person, and they often keep PIN numbers with their cards ...

[El Profesor]

This was queried on FB too, but I've confirmed it actually happened. This was a very elderly person, and they often keep PIN numbers with their cards ...

Don't we have a thread for people like that?

That is massively stupid.
Not only does he lose his money but he encourages the pickpockets for the rest of us ............ thanks mate.
You only need to find a prize idiot like that once a week to eke out quite a nice little living ........ who needs to go into politics when you have twits like that walking around.

[Janet]

He was 95 years old, Prof! 

shouldn't we be criticizing the bastards who pick on someone so aged, rather than someone whose great age has made them frail?

[Michael]

Don't we have a thread for people like that?

That is massively stupid.

He was 95 years old, Prof! 

shouldn't we be criticizing the bastards who pick on someone so aged, rather than someone whose great age has made them frail?

I'm not sure if age is a factor in dumbness. 

When I worked, we had a cheque book handed in once. It had been found in the car park in it's own little wallet. The wallet also contained a £100 cheque guarantee card and one of the blank cheques was signed.

When the owner was traced, she was in her 30's.