Marilyn

Hey folks, teadrinker has already pretty much said she felt like an idiot and should have known better. I think she posted to warn others, not to complain about "no sign". I think she's being unfairly slammed.

ThinGorjus

Why should the Internet cafe post signs warning you to watch you belongings. That is common sense in a big city. Where did you think you were, Mayberry R.F.D.???? Should there be signs at the petrol stations stating: PLEASE DO NOT DRINK THIS PETROL YOU WILL BE POISONED??? Not all of us in the UK are daft, sweetie. Even Amanda de Catanay knows to watch her Marc Jacob's bag.

xxx16

I guess next people will need a sign in public restrooms reminding them to wipe their ass before leaving.

capo

Gee, I guess a couple of our local libraries here in Seattle should take down their signs warning about it being a &quot;High Car-Prowl Area&quot; since no one should leave anything in their car anyway, right? <BR><BR>What a terrible waste of taxpayer's money, warning libary patrons about car prowlers.

Heyblondie

But there WERE signs posted - Teadrinker just didn't see them. But I read the point of her message to be: watch your stuff and isn't it horrible that the cafe didn't have signs to warn people. It is unfortunate that we can't trust people and have to be so careful, but that's the point. We do have to be careful - everywhere. It's not the fault of the internet place nor is it the fault of the city council if you get your pocket picked in the middle of the street. It's a personal responsibility to take care of what's yours.<BR><BR>People get their stuff stolen all the time in loads of European cities. What's the big deal?

chicgeek

Just to put things in perspective, my wallet was stolen out of my purse at my local TJMaxx.........We have to watch our stuff wherever we go.

kodi

So sorry to hear of teadrinkers misfortune, but I was taught many years ago when I first started to travel, to always make sure my purse strap was wrapped around my leg or arm, and I always make sure I do this. IF someone is going to try to take it, I will feel it tugging. <BR>I have a good friend who leaves her purse at the table when we are at buffet restaurants and it drives me crazy!! She thinks I'm just being too careful keeping my purse wrapped around my arm.<BR>But better safe than sorry.

Joelle

The same thing happened at this very place in London early March.<BR>She had gone there with another friend, and we met them at the place, she realized her handbag had been stolen.<BR><BR>There are security cameras everywhere in the place but the shop manager said it would not show anything! And they were not helpful at all!!!<BR><BR>One piece of advice would be to avoid this Easy Internet caf�!!!!

nancy

I disagree on avoiding the internet sites or wherever else (tube/metro). You just have to watch your stuff. I did learn to put my leg thru my purse strap wherever I am - home or abroad. I usually carry on small purse while traveling and put the strap across my chest and don't have to worry at all. Important stuff belongs in a money belt (or, if you prefer, in the hotel safe).

lyb

I'd like to say that we're all being tough on teadrinker, but..I have to say when I read her post, my first thought was...Dahh!!<BR><BR>And I agree with one person who questioned whether anyone ever takes any responsibility for anything anymore. Please...it's not anyone else's responsibility to tell you to watch for your own stuff, it's plain old common sense!!<BR><BR>Two years ago, I was visiting Charleston, SC and I was carrying a camera bag. When I sat down for lunch, I put the camera bag on the seat next to me, BUT, I also clipped the straps around the back of the chair so that anybody who might have tried to take the camera bag would have drag the chair along with it. And the restaurant didn't put any sign to warn me...it's commen sense!!<BR><BR>Sorry teadrinker, but if we all beat up on you now, maybe the next time you travel, or just step out of your house, you'll be more aware.

jor

It always amazes me. Women leave their wallets and purses in grocery stores like a run around dog. If I was a theif in my home town I would not need a job.

Natalia

Well, teadrinker, I think your warning is a valid one. When we are in internet cafes our attention is focused on the computer. I know I have become so absorbed with my emails that I easily forget to think who is lurking around me, luckily or not so luckily, I live in an area where one has to keep ahold of their purses, etc. so it is natural for me to do so.<BR>But your warning for someone who is not used to keeping watch is a good one, thanks.

ErinS

I was at this same internet cafe in late March(on Oxford, next to a Subway sandwich shop and near the Bond Street tube station) and if there are signs warning you about pickpockets, they are not visible. It didn't matter to me cause I'm extra careful with my belongings no matter where I am. <BR>It's funny...one tip people give you when you travel is to &quot;always look like you know where you are going&quot;. Unfortunately when you are attempting to thwart thieves by blending in like a local, you are not as attentive to detail as you would be as a &quot;tourist&quot;.

teadrinker

Okay, here I am. I admit that I do live in a town which IS somewhat like Mayberry, USA. I was naive and now will never be again. I think that there are some people like me, still, in the US-not many, sadly, but there are still some who haven't yet become victims. Once you've become a victim you learn from it. Never again will I be so careless. I thought I was being 'smart' asking my sister and husband to &quot;watch my stuff&quot; while I went in search of a ladies room. Well, that wasn't enough. Like the posters before me said, you have to wrap your stuff around your ankles and keep your legs tightly pressed together to ward off the theives. AND, there are NO SIGNS at this particular internet cafe. It's downcellar past the subway grinder place. I mentioned to the police in London why don't they put up signs since it is so rampant there? I mean, if nothing else, other people, such as ourselves, (people that have had such unbelievably good luck to have never been the target of a crime, and there aren't many I guess) would read it and say, &quot;Hey, this is something. I am really going to watch my purse!&quot; I mean, they said that 2X a day purses are stolen from that place, and it's the same people doing it day after day. The camera is located outside, on the sidewalk, taking pictures of everyone that enters the subway grinder place...it's not really for the internet cafe per se. The camera is worth nothing. I mean, the person that steals the purse slips it into a backpack any way. It's not going to identify the thief. We were flabbergasted to learn that it's the same people and nothing happens. They just routinely cruise in there several times a day looking for dummies like us who most people would say &quot;deserve it&quot; for our negligence. Well, I was just simply trying to notify those like the 'old me' who'd never been the object of someone's criminal act. No big deal. And to learn it is so common is terrible. People who aren't paying maybe shouldn't be allowed IN the &quot;cafe&quot;. But, what does anyone care. Thanks for the support of you who came to my defense. I do appreciate it. Thanks.

FainaAgain

I remember seeing on TV a woman shopping in a supermarket. She put her purse on a shopping cart, on top where you would put a baby. To her horror an arm from behind grabbed her purse! It turned out her son was trying to teach her a lesson to guard her belongings. <BR><BR>My co-worker had her purse snitched off her shoulder in a busy street. Since then I buy only purses with long straps allowing me to wear them across the body, not on a shoulder or in a hand.<BR><BR>Sorry Teadrinker this happened to you, hope you did not lose much and went on with your vacation.