Quote:
Originally Posted by bagatelle
We have a small romani population in the country and unfortunately they have a bad reputation when it comes to shoplifting. The women traditionally wear big dresses, where it's easy to hide the stolen goods.
My dad was at a shop when a romani family came in and watched how the father was apparently trying to lead on the shop owner by talking to him wanting to use the phone, while the rest of the family was operating between the shelves. They were gone in a few minutes and my dad asked the owner, if he was aware, that they probably took stuff with them. The owner said, he knows they did, but it's less trouble to let them take a little once in a while than start getting difficult with them.
I tend to keep better watch on my bag or purse, when I see romani people around. I haven't really seen anything happen, other than some kids eating candy at the store. If it's a big market, I tend to let their own surveillance take care of the suspects - mirrors, cameras, guards...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MSD
We have a small black population in my town and unfortunately they have a bad reputation when it comes to shoplifting. The women traditionally wear big dresses, where it's easy to hide the stolen goods.
My dad was at a shop when a black family came in and watched how the father was apparently trying to lead on the shop owner by talking to him wanting to use the phone, while the rest of the family was operating between the shelves. They were gone in a few minutes and my dad asked the owner, if he was aware, that they probably took stuff with them. The owner said, he knows they did, but it's less trouble to let them take a little once in a while than start getting difficult with them.
I tend to keep better watch on my bag or purse, when I see black people around. I haven't really seen anything happen, other than some kids eating candy at the store. If it's a big market, I tend to let their own surveillance take care of the suspects - mirrors, cameras, guards...
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It probably is a primitive reaction to take care of my own purse more tightly and feel suspicious as a precaution. I'm also cautious of any door-to-door salesmen, whether they be from minority population or not, and don't let them in further than the doorstep. There are especially salesmen, who try to get into homes of old people living alone. Too many cases reported of missing cash after the visits.
Our country has not been multicultural that long. Romanis have been in the minority long before other ethnicities have been growing their part in the population, it's a fact that they haven't been well accepted in the society in the past, and the 'threat' of them visiting in your house in the times of my childhood involved a real fear of getting robbed. One could argue, how much of this is due to their own preferred style of living - which often has included selling from door to door and getting their living out of deal-making rather than accepting a regular job - and how much of the fault is in the society or our culture.
Regarding shops I never leave my purse unattended no matter, who visits them.
This probably would merit own thread, I've been warned before, my opinions sound prejudiced, when I'm merely reflecting what I see around.