diane

I just got off the phone talking to my father. He and my mom, both mid 70's, just arrived in Nice for a three week vacation. They had rented a car. They had just checked out of the hotel they were staying at for one night before moving into their rental villa. My mom was in the passenger seat and my dad had just put the last bag in the backseat of the car, behind my mom. He walked around to the driver's side and by then a motorcycle had come up beside them, opened the backseat door and taken the closest bag. It was their carry on bag, had pj's, camera, novels, and their meds. No money or tickets or id fortunately. They are very shook up. My dad said the police station was filled with people who had been robbed. He said he knew to keep his doors locked but he didn't get time to do it, it happened so quick.

Sherry

A friend of mine had the same thing happen to him last year. He and a friend were driving in a convertible. He was asleep in the back seat. His friend was at the wheel. A motorcycle drove up and reached under the front seat of the car for her bag. It did have her passport and money in it unfortunately.<BR>These people had been to the area several times. So even people that should be aware are able to be victims of this kind of crime.<BR>I hope your parents are able to enjoy the rest of their vacation.

xxxx

"...reach UNDER a car seat...."?

John G

Now, now, xxx. Maybe the motorcycle rider was a fomer acrobat of the Cirque du Soleil, having to turn to crime to support his morphine habit, which he developed after being shot by Brigitte Bardot because he was wearing a fur coat while having lunch at Costes.

Rice Queen

John, sweetie, Costes is in Paris not nice.

xxxx

and it was under the FRONT seat - while the car was being driven......and I thought the pickpockets were creative in Barcelona

Walter

Sherry: I had no problem understanding your post.<BR> Your friend's female friend is driving, obviously stopped in traffic, red light, etc.<BR> The thief either saw her lean over the passenger side after she got in or *assumed* that her bag/purse was there (on the floor or under the passenger seat) because it wasn't on the seat next to her. I would wager the majority of people use the passenger side floor to place or hide something they want out of view, I do (camera). It's not in the way like being under your legs, easier to place/retrieve (no legs, wheel, shifter/console). If the car has electric seats the motor is under the driver's seat, less or no room there.<BR> He pulls-up to the side of the car on the motorcycle, puts his feet down, stands-up, leans over the door (top down or even thru the window) and sticks his hand in front of and under the seat...grabs anything and goes...~3 seconds.<BR> Even if he's only right 20% of the time, he still scores.<BR>Regards, Walter<BR> <BR>

sherlock

What's the point - motocyclist are thieves or Nice is a place to stay away from??? One can be robbed anytime, anywhere. <BR><BR>Give me more clues and we'll figure this out!

Chuck

Do Europan authorities frown on tourists opening fire on pickpockets? Just wondering....

Debby

and I thought Nice was a nice place?

clairobscur

This is a very common kind of robbery in Nice. It's probably the french city with the most petty crimes targeting tourists (actually, the town has the reputation of being a harbor for crime and corruption in general, but tourists aren't very concerned by mafia-type criminals). People visiting Nice should be aware of the high frequency of this particular kind of theft and should lock their car's doors at all times.

clairobscur

And to answer seriously to a question which I assume wasn't serious, of course, opening fire on someone who snatched your purse would be disproportionnate, hence considered a manslaughter. Actually, being able to open fire (having an operable gun in your car) is a serious crime in itself.

xxx

Geez Claire - I guess you don't work for the Nice tourism office! <BR><BR>How about if Diane's dad locked her mum in the car, then waited till all motorbikes where clear of the area, carefully walked to his side of the car, looked up and down the streets, gave a discreet signal to the Mrs so that she could pop the lock, then he could quickly duck into the car and she could hit the locks again? <BR><BR>Would this work?

Watson

Sherlock, thieves are everywhere but their MO usually varies. Naples was once infamous for this type of motorbike theft but usually from pedestrians. The passenger grabs the purse, camera or bag as they go by.<BR> I would say this type of _motorbike_ theft would be a rare occurrence in say NYC.<BR>"Modus Operandi"

sherlock

my dear Watson, thanks for your insite. Your underscores between of_motorbike_theft are the clues we've been looking for.

clairobscur

Indeed, xxx, I'm not particulary fond of Nice and I'm unsure why so many people want to visit it. But anyway, this particular kind of robbery in Nice is reported in french medias on a regular basis, and there has been threads on this very issue on this board in the past.<BR><BR>So, sure, there are crime everywhere, but still, tourists should be particulary aware of this kind of crime when they visit Nice (and more generally south-eastern France, but not to the same extent. A similar theft is unlikely to happen in say, Bordeaux.

Lord Peter Wimsey

Sherlock,<BR><BR>Many old-timers to the web would recognize those underscores as a way of emphasizing the word motorbike without shouting it out in all caps. Another way of doing it would be to put asterisks before and after the word. Surely a brilliant detective knows this.

sherlock

Lord P,<BR><BR>Oh . . . thought I needed to read between the lines. Now, let's get back to the clues . . .

Diane

Diane: Ignoring most of the inane posts above, I'm sorry for your parents. Nobody should have to go through that. Diane