Pickpockets at work
Heidi | April 26, 2008Yesterday, I hurried off the bus on O’Connell Street and headed to a jewelry store on Henry Street. I stopped in to look at a wedding band. After about 15 minutes, I left and was going to head to Design Yard to order my fiance’s wedding ring. I reached back to open the front pocket of my backpack and it was already open! I dug around in the pocket and my wallet was missing! I went straight back to the jewelry store and asked them if they had noticed if my backpack was open. One of the sales assistants did notice that it was open while I was in the store. Ugh. I then walked up and down O’Connell Street because I thought that there was a Garda station there to report the theft. I saw a Garda and asked and he directed me to a station.
As I walked to the police station, John canceled one card and texted me the number for the other bank. After waiting at the police station, an officer then took my details and offered to send out a letter if I needed it to help get my ID replaced. She was very nice and reminded me that wallets are generally not found. I then went home and convinced John to get me money so I could still have my massage.
Today, I was out looking at new wallets and I got a phone call. It was the Garda calling to say that my wallet had been turned in and all my ID was still in it!! I then went to the station and collected my wallet. They had taken the money, my Dublin bus tickets, the taxi voucher I need for work on Monday, my stamps to mail things out of Ireland, and my prescriptions! All ID was left in the wallet and it was apparent that whoever took it went through the wallet carefully.
So, be very careful of your bags. I didn’t feel anyone bump me or anything but I will now start carrying my wallet closer to me!
The same thing happened to me on the Luas last year. I was standing facing forward and two kids behind me opened my backpack and took my glasses case. It was only when I was getting off the tram at St Stephens Green that I noticed them walking away from me to the far doors and that rang alarm bells. Unfortunately by the time I had checked my bag and realised it was open and my case was missing they were gone.
Incidents such as these seem to be quite common in the city. I was in the Store Street Garda station on Friday and the officer there told me that they get 3 or 4 reports of pick pocketing every day.
In a way you were very lucky you got it back but its no excuse for the slime that took it in the first place!
Happened to me as well. I was in the women´s section of Pennys and put my bag between my feet in order to try on a jumper. I wanted to avoid the queue in front of the changing rooms – and who would have thought that someone actually has the impertinence to steal a bag from where I had placed it!
I didn´t get any of my things back, but the police informed me that they caught the person and she (a drug addict) admitted to it. So I can only advise everyone to be very very carful!