After over 20 trips to the U.K. (trying to be careful with our belongings each trip) we had some money stolen in April. First problem ever!!
I carried several $100 bills together in a zipped compartment in my purse as back-up funds if needed - and could and should have left them at home as our bank debit card and credit cards and the pounds we carried worked fine
I checked the money when we arrived in Truro but not after, so know it disappeared at our hotel there ( and only if someone was able to come into a room with the deadbolt on while we slept) or at Gatwick. Other than that, my purse was not out of my sight!
I was one of the people selected for patdown just before we boarded our flight to Atlanta, and while security did a brief patdown, my purse was out of my sight on the table behind me. My husband swears he was watching every second and this is why we have such a mystery. There was another security person, a man, standing behind me beside my purse.

I did not look in the zippered compartment until we arrived home that night, and the middle $100 bills were gone - a front one left and the $20's behind it. Yes, I feel so dumb and so careless!! I e-mailed our airline and they said they would pass the information on to appropriate personnel at
Gatwick.

Has anyone else had a similar problem? Still can't see how the money disappeared when my purse was literally in my hands almost all the time. Will appreciate any input from anyone with a similar situation.

You are a newbie here so it is understandable that you haven't seen the thousand advisories on the Forum to use a money belt for valuables. Professional pickpockets are in the business because they are good at it. Chalk it up.

Sorry for your misfortune and I hope you will stop kicking yourself. Tourists are always a target in every country and this is something that could happen anywhere in the world.

The only place I've ever been robbed was in Canada and of course at the time it was very upsetting. But I thought about the mistake DH and I made to facilitate that situation and it hasn't happened since. <knock wood>

I clicked on the OP's name and, as I expected, a first time poster who registered here for the purpose of telling this preposterous story.

I have two theories. The OP spent the money and has invented this story to allay his/her DH's suspicions. Or, the DH filched the money.

"<i>Has anyone else had a similar problem?</i>"

Nope.

"<i> . . the middle $100 bills were gone - a front one left and the $20's behind it</i>"

My guess is ron is on to something - a pickpocket worth his/her salt would have taken the lot and not left a "front" $100 and "back" $20's. How do you expect someone to rifle through your wad of money and only take part of it?

You dropped the $100 at Gatwick. I picked it up and spent it. Thanks!

adrienne, what did you get? Inquiring minds want to know.

Whenever I have thought I lost money from my purse it turned out it was somewhere else or I forgot I had spent it. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it seems very odd that a thief would take out some of the money from the middle and leave the rest. Especially since you were watching your bag all the time.

I hope you are wrong and that you find it.

Clara?

glenmd - I spent the money frivolously and bought something I can't get at home - Cadbury Roses - love 'em!

You spent <i>a hundred dollars</i> on Cadbury's Roses?! That's an awful lot of big purple ones. I do hope you weren't ill on the plane.

"Darling someone stolen the money - and left those divine shoes in their place".

Patrick - it's Quality Street that have the purple ones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality...8confection%29

I would be happier if this thread were not titled Theft in England because it simply isn't credible. If charles 12 thinks REALLY hard, she will probably remember doing something else with the missing bills.

Patrick - I shared the Roses with a friend who is equally hooked and I still have some left so I wasn't a total glutton on the plane!

My SIL used to swear someone was stealing her money, also, because she couldn't remember spending it or where she put it . No one was stealing her money, she was just forgetful.

There isn't any evidence at all that this money was stolen--no, I don't believe someone came in and stole from your purse while sleeping and while it is possible, I don't believe someone stole one bill from your purse in security while your husband claims he saw your purse the whole time.

The money wasn't even examined or checked during the entire trip, if I understand it correctly. It is possible it was even lost by accidentally pulling it out and losing it wihtout noticing. NO thief is going to only steal one bill, that really doesn't make the slightest sense -- unless it is your husband (after all, he is a likely culprit if we want to play detective). He is the one who was watching your purse and he had access to it while you were sleeping, etc. And he might think stealing only one bill would be less likely to be noticed.

Don't say this is impossible as I know relatives, including spouses, who steal from the others, sometimes to support habits or buy things they don't want them to know about, sometimes just to be evil.