Not strictly family but a head's up...mugging

[beababies]

Hi Jenny, so sorry to hear about this and to also hear how it has happened to several other people as well. I can't believe it's occurred in the middle of the afternoon as well as when with children, quite shocking and scary! Hope you're doing OK today. Out of interest to everyone else that was mugged in a similar way, did you have your Iphone out at the time? I.e., were you talking on it?

I follow Fapl's advice and stick to my cheap plastic Nokia for this and other reasons one of which being that essentially Iphones are very expensive small computers. I completely understand the need for them, especially in your case being self employed, and the convenience they provide. I think the thing is that Mobile companies have now made them so accessible and easy to afford and they are therefore becoming so widespread that it's easy to forget what an intricate and expensive piece of technology they are. I try to keep that in mind and I advise friends to put them out of sight when on the street at night, although, I really wouldn't have thought you'd have to do the same in the middle of the day!

I do feel like your post served as a wake up call for me though as I have found that often when multi tasking, walking and texting I can be so absorbed and completely unaware of what's going on around me.

Hmmm I suppose the answer is never to use our phones when in transit?!

Oh regarding lost photos and videos, I swear a friend who lost her Iphone said that miraculously all her photos were on the new replacement phone, as they were stored on her account somehow through Apple, is this possible or have I been a bit gullible as a non Iphone user?!

[midivydale]

Hi all,

Exactly this happend to me too 3 weeks ago when i was 9 months pregnant and on crutches!! Maybe the same lowlife?

C

[Otta]

when i was 9 months pregnant and on crutches!!

Un-fecking-believable!!!!!!!

[anyjoy]

What a scumbag, unbelievable. How do these people look at themselves in the mirror each morning. Jenny description sounds very similar to the man hovering there on Thursday too, red Hoodie under a black leather look coat that day but otherwise close match so maybe it is his current hunting ground. Horrified to hear of all the muggings. Such a shame in such a friendly area.

[jennyh]

The police did mention that phone thieves work in gangs which is completely plausible and makes sense. Don't bother wasting time trying to get a bag which is bulkier and easier to hang onto, just go for what's in view and in the quickest time possible. If anyone thinks that their attacker does sound similar and they reported it to the police then it might be worth PMing and I would happily contact the police to let them know there might be other similar muggings. Anything could help to increase the chances of them working out who it might be. I really don't count on getting my phone back at all but the naive/hopeful (?!) part of me thinks he might get caught...who knows!

[BellendenBear]

fapl Wrote:

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

> I am so sorry to hear about this. One of the most

> damaging things is losing a feeling of safety in

> your own community.

This is so true. I was mugged last winter on my way to work just before it got light. I was 32 weeks pregnant at the time. The same person mugged another young woman on her way to work shortly afterwards. Seems that he was targeting people on their way to the station.

The only thing of value to him (well ?20) in my bag was my phone. But some of the things I lost can not be replaced. And most of all is my confidence. I had never thought twice about walking to work, but I haven't walked since.

So sorry that this has happened to you jennyh.

[jennyh]

Hi everyone

Just an update...I was really disappointed not to hear anything from the police for ages after they had been so great at the scene. I had a call last night to say that they had looked at the CCTV outside the station but the camera was pointing the wrong way (!) When I pointed out that it shouldn't have mattered because the witness had seen the guy walking back and forth in that location the policewoman said that witnesses are often unreliable and when quizzed they do struggle to remember simple details...bit of a generalisation maybe? Unless it was pointing at the sky, I can only presume perhaps there was no tape in it or something. Who knows.

I was saddened that she questionned the reliability of the witness statements because I was hugely impressed at how detailed they had been.

Oh well! Lucky mugger, he got away with it!