be careful - Crystal Palace Parade

[Mrs Y]

Copy from facebook tonight.

At 2.00pm driving south on Crystal Palace Parade this afternoon when while in a traffic jam noticed a commotion ahead in the traffic queue. Four young guys in hoodies (it was sunny) who were walking in the middle of the road surrounded the car two in front and started banging on its windows and shouting. Suddenly a girl got out of this car and ran out screaming, she ran past the car in front of us and stopped at our car screaming help I'm being mugged can I hide in your car. Not too sure what was happening but always suspicious I gallantly drove off. Later feeling slightly guilty we mentioned it to the staff in the company in Croydon we were visiting and they laughed and stated that we were the intended target and it's a scam. They are waiting for us to open our doors then all five of them lean in rob you and run off. So always keep your doors locked and have enough space from the car in front to escape.

[alice]

never heard of this

[JohnL]

Take the girl, drive off :)

No, Don't - just don't open up ever - unless of course it's obviously not a scam.

[uncleglen]

Sounds like hijacking for the non-driver....

[Delainie]

Isn't it just awful that we have to be suspicious , even if it was genuine, it's just horrible having to drive off, leaving us feeling guilty not knowing if it was a scam. There was a series on tv and in one scene, a girl was laying at the side of the road in the evening , a man stopped and went up to her, he got badly beaten and robbed. I know it was on tv However it makes you think. I guess it's a good idea to have car doors locked, as heard of lots of people getting robbed at traffic light. Glad you are ok Mrs y.

[JohnL]

I used to stop for people - 3:00 AM in Catford, some guy flags

me down, jumps in and asks me to take him 1 mile down the road.

He's on the phone to his girlfriend telling her he's already

waiting for her where they arranged.

Everyone thought I was mad to stop :)

[ianr]

Did the Facebook poster report it to the local police, for intelligence purposes?

[Angelina]

you were right to listen to the alarm bells!

It's a good post - letting others know to watch out for this.

[malumbu]

Was stuck in traffic going to a footy match many years ago and a 14 year old opened the door and got in. What are you doing I asked? Getting a lift to the match he says. Fair enough.

In modern terms I broke at least two rules there.