purse nicked in charity shop

[slummymum]

To the utter scumbag who nicked my purse from my handbag on Saturday in St Christopher's Hospice.

I doubt very much that you're classy enough to belong to EDF. But just in case...

Yes - I was stupid to put it on the back of my son's buggy for five minutes so I could look hold up some clothes in front of the mirror.

But it was a charity shop! And my son was asleep in the buggy! You must be so totally devoid of morals that your life is clearly a misery. The result? One distraught four year old who having been promised she could go to the toy shop had to be told she could not go as I no longer had any money on me. Hope the ?20 was worth it.

The people in the charity shop were very kind. But if this is as common an occurrence as they say it is might a sign in the shop be helpful?

[CF]

really sorry to hear about your purse, people like that are scum, doesnt matter where you are their will always be opportunists around. my friend got his bag stolen from the park when he was pushing his child on the swing.

remember the golden rule - trust no one!

[Marmora Man]

remember the golden rule - trust no one!

Is this the most depressing statement you have ever read on the Forum?

[sillywoman]

Yes, but to a degree it's a sad fact of life in London or any big city. Maybe be better to live by the "be careful where you trust" philosophy.

Some years ago I had my handbag nicked out of my pram, also with sleeping child in it, in Dulwich Library kids section at story time. Lost driving license, cards, a weeks housekeeping/ food shopping money (about ?80), also approx ?100 in coins that I was on my way to pay into the bank for the St Barnabas Mum & Toddler group. I was gutted and outraged and felt guilty for being so stupid/naive, but ultimately I learned my lesson and never again placed anything of value in my pram whilst out in public. It's a hard lesson though.

Slummymummmy, don't let it spoil whatever faith you have in human nature - I still believe that the goodies far outweigh the baddies, it's just bad luck that you encountered one of the latter, specially in ED :). You've probably summed up your thiefs life in your OP, pathetic, sad, miserable and black inside. It's been said on other threads I know, but I do believe that karma'll get 'em . . .

[pommie]

cant believe some people can stoop so low. Actually when i helped out in a charity shop, i was shocked to realise that someone had nicked a bread bin from the charity shop after dropping off what can only be described as a bag of crap!! She obviously thought she had a right to something else.....must be pretty sad to do something like that

[RosieH]

I'm in total agreement that it's awful to have your purse snatched - it happened to me years ago and left me without money to eat.

But I do agree with CF that pickpockets are opportunists and will strike anywhere - I don't think it's any lower to take a wallet from someone in a charity shop or from a bag on the back of a pram than it is from anyone else anywhere else.

[Kingy]

We had the entire pram nicked from outside a charity shop once !

[edanna]

Not with the baby in I hope, Kingy?

[citizenED]

Marmora Man, yes.

CF Just last week I saw a woman drop her purse as she got off the bus at Dulwich Library. Guess what I did with it? I gave it back. As far as I can tell, practically everyone I know would do the same. I think you would too.

[sophiesofa]

I had my bike nicked from inside a church in New Cross a few years ago. It really does make you more careful with your possessions. Just remember nice people outweigh scum so the world is not entirely bad.

[JetSetWilly]

might a sign in the shop be helpful, probably not, would a bit of common sense be, probably yes.

[ratty]

This is something that puzzles me. I know of no one who would not hand in a purse or mobile phone if found, and I have done so many times, so, why is it that when my wife loses one or the other do they never ever come back?

[Moos]

Pretty sure some thieves particularly target people with buggies, knowing that the pusher's attention will be more on the child than on the buggy contents. I've heard of several cases first hand.

Really sorry about what happened to you, slummymum - have a good grr and don't let it spoil your week too much.

[CF]

citizen ed and mamora man

i agree it is a sad state when you cannot trust anyone, and very depressing that you cant. And yes I would hand in a wallet or phone if it had been lost and have done so. However just because you and I dont know of anyone personally who wouldnt hand in something that they have found doesnt mean that everyone is the same. Yes their are more good people in the world than bad (fingers x) but when your out and about and there are people around you that you dont know you have to just be cautious.

once something like this happens to you, you are usually are more cynical of people and keep an eye on your possesions/children more than you did before.

[shoshntosh]

ratty Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> This is something that puzzles me. I know of no

> one who would not hand in a purse or mobile phone

> if found, and I have done so many times, so, why

> is it that when my wife loses one or the other do

> they never ever come back?

i find that interesting too. i also don't know a single male who visits prostitutes, and yet... there seems to be plenty of business for them.

i can only conclude that either i a) circulate amongst particularly nice and moral people and b) that things -- including people -- are not always what they seem.

i don't feel smug (because all my friends are moral) nor do i feel that i lack faith in the goodness of humanity (because they are all just pretending to be moral). i just see things as they are: grey and complex.

[jeh]

I just had my whole buggy stolen in Forest Hill at the weekend - coats and all (not with child in it though thankfully!) so I'm not sure the type of people that pinch things worry too much about whether its right to steal from , or near a child.

I'd still not say 'trust no-one' though, its still just a relatively small slice of people that have no morals!

[Domitianus]

When I was in a hotel health club a couple of years ago I had my wet, freshly used swim shorts stolen! I realised as I went back to my room that I had left them in the changing rooms and went back but they had vanished and were not handed in at club reception. Incredible! Who would steal someone else's wet swim shorts?????

[MsJ]

Agree they are scum -but these opportunists have some morals! I had my car stolen in Forest Hill a while back - a crappy old fiesta with 2 baby seats in the back. Later that day the kindly thieves actually stopped mid joyride in my stolen car to let me cross the road with my daughter!! As you can imagine lots of swearing and fist shaking ensued at which point they sped off to dump my car (minus baby seats, back seats etc..). I know they were opportunists as I found a steering wheel in my garden which turned out to be from a neighbours car which they had broken into the same night but had no luck with stealing so resorted to vandalism.

[Miss P]

So sorry to hear about your experience Slummymum, how very annoying for you. I would like to say that I'm a firm believer in what goes around, comes around. I very much hope that handing in a purse a few months ago to the shop I found it outside led to a kind soul putting my post through my door today having found it in the street. I can only hope that kismet eventually catches up with all scumbags.