ConstructMe
Banned
In particular?
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Why is Paris so full of pickpockets?
- Thread starter ConstructMe
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Thats a weird crime comparison.
Because Paris has more tourists that any other city in the world?
Tourists are disorganized, carry tons of money, and won't be there next week, having been replaced with fresh new tourists.
ComputerMKII
Banned
Paris is full of tourists
ConstructMe
Banned
Heaps of places have tourists though, it just seems to be a massive plague in this particular city, has it always been like this? Or are there socio economic issues atm. I suppose if you dont dress like a tourist they leave you alone?
Mass_Pincup
Banned
I live in Paris and it has always been like this in touristic areas but now it seems to they are spreading across the city since a couple of years.
I think it's a pretty classic stereotype of Paris.
dapperbandit
Banned
Any tourist city will have them.
Apparently Venice is terrible for it.
Apparently Venice is terrible for it.
Alx
Member
It's definitely linked to the number of tourists, which is higher than most other places. I suppose that diversity counts too (no point pickpocketing places attracting younger tourists for example, since they won't be carrying as much cash around...).
I guess "dressing as a tourist" will attract their attention, but it's more about being an easy mark or not. If they notice that your wallet is easy to reach, they'll go for it, tourist or not.
I guess "dressing as a tourist" will attract their attention, but it's more about being an easy mark or not. If they notice that your wallet is easy to reach, they'll go for it, tourist or not.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...destination-for-foreign-tourists-9340154.html
London overtakes Paris as world's most popular tourist destination in 2013, with 16.8 million visitors compared to Paris' 15.7 million visitors!
But as a country on the whole...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings
#1 - France - 84.7 million visitors
...
#8 - United Kingdom - 31.2 million visitors
Tourists love France.
London overtakes Paris as world's most popular tourist destination in 2013, with 16.8 million visitors compared to Paris' 15.7 million visitors!
But as a country on the whole...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings
#1 - France - 84.7 million visitors
...
#8 - United Kingdom - 31.2 million visitors
Tourists love France.
ConstructMe
Banned
Clearly im niave, but arent there better and more legal ways for youth to earn money? Cant see why police dont crack down hard on it.
Alx
Member
To be fair that's partly cheating, because France is at the crossroads of Western Europe, and a non negligible part of that tourism is just people driving through the country (like Germans going to Spain for example).
But yeah, it's still a major touristic country anyway.
shadyspace
Banned
You never really hear about pickpocketing in US cities. Mugging makes more sense here because pickpocketing leaves you vulnerable to your potential victim catching you in the act and fucking you up. Makes more sense to start with threat of violence.
ConstructMe
Banned
Christ thats a lot of tourists lol.
Alx
Member
They do, but there's not much they can do about that. Assuming they catch a bunch of kids stealing wallets, what then ? They can't be thrown in jail, and they won't tell you who their parents are. They'll be thrown back on the street after a few hours and go back to their usual activity.
Rome and Barcelona are actually worse than Paris.
And I don't know where I got it, but I remember reading this in some textbook: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do, pick a pocket." as a play on that stereotype.
We actually prohibit child labour. Because if you're talking about youth, it can go that young.
Cheesecakebobby
Banned
Because it's so easy in crowds of up to 10,000 people.
Alx
Member
Most people not living in Paris hate Paris. And most people living in Paris hate cities outside of Paris (except the one they're from, because nobody really is from Paris). We French love hating places.
Most people love Paris until they actually go there. It's really not what it's cracked up to be from what you see on TV. You're much better off going to some smaller more down to earth places around France.
ConstructMe
Banned
How come mainly?
How would you identify them? And they have to let them go after a couple of hours.
Are you talking about runaways, or kids who live at home? I mean either way its pathetic for the police there, but I'm surprised this is even a question.
Is pickpocketing a crime there? If so, why do they have to release within a few hours? Especially if the kid is being dishonest about his/her identity. Is it not a crime to lie about your identity in France?
Most people not living in Paris hate Paris. And most people living in Paris hate cities outside of Paris (except the one they're from, because nobody really is from Paris). We French love hating places.
What my year in France taught me: people in Paris are pricks, the north really is the third world, southern French have funny accents. I lived in Poitiers
About pickpockets, there are lots of tourists.
Boom Boom Pow
Banned
i'm surprised no one has said who are the ones doing the pickpocketing.
So I'm gonna go ahead and say it. It's full of pickpocketers because there's a lot of tourists, and people believe that hey, France is developed, so no pickpocketers.
Then, you combine that with a large wage gap, and a poor immigrant class, and thus, you have a lot of immigrants doing the pickpocketing.
Walk along the street near Montmartre and you'll see a bunch of Arab/Northern African dudes selling goods. They didn't obtain those goods by legal means I'll tell you.
Same thing in Barcelona. You have so many pickpockters, and whenever you see the ones being caught, they're all Moroccan, or North African/Middle Eastern. (or maybe the local Spaniards are so good that they don't get caught? *shrug*)
There's also the fact that, the punishment, if caught, is so overwhelmingly week that these people pickpockets, and if they get caught, just pay a small fee, and then leave, and do it all over again. This is true about Barcelona, where the cops could give a ratass on catching pickpockters.
So I'm gonna go ahead and say it. It's full of pickpocketers because there's a lot of tourists, and people believe that hey, France is developed, so no pickpocketers.
Then, you combine that with a large wage gap, and a poor immigrant class, and thus, you have a lot of immigrants doing the pickpocketing.
Walk along the street near Montmartre and you'll see a bunch of Arab/Northern African dudes selling goods. They didn't obtain those goods by legal means I'll tell you.
Same thing in Barcelona. You have so many pickpockters, and whenever you see the ones being caught, they're all Moroccan, or North African/Middle Eastern. (or maybe the local Spaniards are so good that they don't get caught? *shrug*)
There's also the fact that, the punishment, if caught, is so overwhelmingly week that these people pickpockets, and if they get caught, just pay a small fee, and then leave, and do it all over again. This is true about Barcelona, where the cops could give a ratass on catching pickpockters.
Jealous that it gets all the attention.
Resentful that tourists confuse Parisian culture for French culture.
If you come here you'll undoubtedly hear from a French person: 'Paris isn't really France' which is as stupid as saying NY isn't really America or Tokyo isn't really Japan
Alx
Member
Actually the products that are sold in touristy areas aren't stolen, they're mostly cheap counterfeit products (which isn't legal either anyway). If you're looking for stolen goods in Paris, you'd rather look for unofficial stands around flea markets (and even there, not everything is stolen).
Nah, Paris is still an amazingly beautiful city. It's like walking in a museum.
The problems are the stinky, dirty subways (very convenient though), the crime rate and the often rude people.
Hotel are shit for the price they ask and don't get me started on this joke of airport.
On the plus side, there is so much to see and discover. Also great food and culture. I'd recommend to get a visit organized by local volunteers to see the real Paris as well, not only the tourist stuff.
That said, the provinces are indeed awesome, especially the south-west and south.
Parakeetman
No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
Bomber Bob
Banned
Welcome to Europe!
They often don't carry identificiation, they might not even have it because they can be legal or illegal immigrants. You sometimes have actual gangs behind this to arrange everything.
It is a crime, but you can't hold children in custody for very long. And the kid isn't being dishonest, just excersing the right to remain silent. Children under 7 can't be punished, children under 13 can only get education as a punishment.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
My children, they need wine!
CreepingFear
Member
I just visited Paris for my first time last week. I witnessed a gypsie woman using the dropped ring trick and some other woman came up to me asking if I spoke English. I looked ahead and ignored her and kept walking. Later, I found out that her scam was to ask you to sign a petition for someone that was sick, then ask you for money.
FunkyMunkey
Banned
teruterubozu
Member
London is pretty bad too. My mom got her wallet lifted just standing in line for coffee.
Ding ding! I caught someone try to lift my wallet while I was looking at the Arc De Triomph. Dude got scared shitless when I grabbed his wrist, and I bowed down towards him.
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