Yesterday crime in Redditch Worcestershire stooped to an all time low!!
My wife was in the Oxfam charity shop (yes a charity shop)and some "low life's" stole her purse from her hand bag.
All she can recall is someone bumping into her with a hand full of clothes and the coat hangers bodging into her hard.
She has a bag with a strong clip to it, so I guess the barging was to conseal the extra force needed to get the bag open.
To add insult to her injury I'd just been to the cash point and had given her £70 to top up her cash.
We rushed round to the police station to report the incident only to be told that they'd already had 4-5 reports that day. Funny thing though there were no coppers to be seen in the town.
Then the next thing was ringing round to cancel all the cards. Some of which were her own and not shared accounts which meant that we had to drive 50 miles home PDQ to get to phone numbers on statements.
That brought new frustration too. You ring the stolen card number and you would expect to speak to a rep pronto. Oh no, Barclays for instance make you listen to five option choices before you can speak to a real person. Only a couple were direct lines and these were both pure internet accounting companies.
Now after all that on reflection a charity shop is a sitting duck!!
They can ill-afford CCTV or employment of a security guard.
Cash is the main source of payment.
Most shops are staffed by elderly volunteers who rightfully so, would not want to get involved with the thugs.
It's so easy to be wise after the event and quite honestly if these scum bags are stooping so low as to steal in a charity shop then they are equally as likely to be "tooled up" and able to fight off any resistance.
Finally. Trying to track the buggers down! One of the cards had been used three times that day and we know it wasn't us, as it was blocked because we'd forgotten to pay the account.
But the card company (the black horse) couldn't or wouldn't tell us either the time or Location or type of sale (ie internet or shop). Instead they have told us to wait until the end of the week for the answers as their system take that long to update its self.
Of coarse we had insurance cover which is fine, but just look at the added agro we had to endure following the distress of the initial loss.
The answer is to only keep your debit card plus one credit card in your purse and also only have say £20 of cash. Take your 6foot rugby player hubby with you at all times. Then you might just be a little safer. But of coarse, don't try to defend your self or you will be the one nicked for assault!!!
Sweet little charity shops are the home made wasp traps of the low life's luck, mess with the jam in the jar and you'll get stung by the hornets hovering!!
Steve.
My wife was in the Oxfam charity shop (yes a charity shop)and some "low life's" stole her purse from her hand bag.
All she can recall is someone bumping into her with a hand full of clothes and the coat hangers bodging into her hard.
She has a bag with a strong clip to it, so I guess the barging was to conseal the extra force needed to get the bag open.
To add insult to her injury I'd just been to the cash point and had given her £70 to top up her cash.
We rushed round to the police station to report the incident only to be told that they'd already had 4-5 reports that day. Funny thing though there were no coppers to be seen in the town.
Then the next thing was ringing round to cancel all the cards. Some of which were her own and not shared accounts which meant that we had to drive 50 miles home PDQ to get to phone numbers on statements.
That brought new frustration too. You ring the stolen card number and you would expect to speak to a rep pronto. Oh no, Barclays for instance make you listen to five option choices before you can speak to a real person. Only a couple were direct lines and these were both pure internet accounting companies.
Now after all that on reflection a charity shop is a sitting duck!!
They can ill-afford CCTV or employment of a security guard.
Cash is the main source of payment.
Most shops are staffed by elderly volunteers who rightfully so, would not want to get involved with the thugs.
It's so easy to be wise after the event and quite honestly if these scum bags are stooping so low as to steal in a charity shop then they are equally as likely to be "tooled up" and able to fight off any resistance.
Finally. Trying to track the buggers down! One of the cards had been used three times that day and we know it wasn't us, as it was blocked because we'd forgotten to pay the account.
But the card company (the black horse) couldn't or wouldn't tell us either the time or Location or type of sale (ie internet or shop). Instead they have told us to wait until the end of the week for the answers as their system take that long to update its self.
Of coarse we had insurance cover which is fine, but just look at the added agro we had to endure following the distress of the initial loss.
The answer is to only keep your debit card plus one credit card in your purse and also only have say £20 of cash. Take your 6foot rugby player hubby with you at all times. Then you might just be a little safer. But of coarse, don't try to defend your self or you will be the one nicked for assault!!!
Sweet little charity shops are the home made wasp traps of the low life's luck, mess with the jam in the jar and you'll get stung by the hornets hovering!!
Steve.
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