Rude shock for Qatari family on Paris visit
A Qatari national visiting Paris was dismayed by police inaction against a thief who stole his wife’s bag, a report published in a local Arabic daily said.
The Qatari has been a regular visitor to Paris with his family during summer for the past five years.
The family were at the world-renowned Chanelle store in a well-known Paris mall when the incident occurred.
The man’s wife had put her hand bag on the floor by her side for just a moment when it disappeared, the report said giving details.
“I was shocked and rushed to the mall manager to take immediate action by closing all the entry and exit points in order to prevent the culprit from escaping and to check the CCTV cameras. However, he did not oblige.
“My daughter told the officials that she had noticed a veiled woman seated close to my wife but they did not pay heed. The store manager advised me to lodge a formal complaint with the French police.
“Consequently I went to the police headquarters and made a written complaint stating that the bag contained a set of diamond rings, ear rings and my wife and children’s ID cards besides a mobile phone, 5000 euros and some other currencies.
“I was disappointed by the cold and unconcerned attitude of the police officers. No action has been taken so far to apprehend the culprit – the veiled lady – whose image was captured in the camera.
“The store manager with whom I am in touch since returning home has informed me that only the police have the authority to open the camera and check the images recorded on the tape. It is now more than 23 days since the incident occurred.
“The Qatar embassy in Paris is following up on the matter,” the report quoted the man as saying.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=308800...
verisimilitude "...i think they have come to realize that Arabs are an easy target who carry around a lot of money and are not smart to the ways of a rough city..."
Not all Arabs, but yes, generally the ones who have led too sheltered lives and lack exposure. But look on the bright side - this would be a learning experience for them and others.
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The Cookie Monster said it.
I also don't plagiarize...
SPEED said PITSTOP... fact is that most of the women does that ...
So this is very common with MOST of the women they like to carry BANK with them."
Heheheh! Oops! I sometimes have only QR70 in my handbag or usually a few hundred riyals... and definitely no jewellery. In Paris, would probably have 100-200 Euros but still no jewellery. Worse thing is, might not be carrying a handbag even... :0)
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The Cookie Monster said it.
I also don't plagiarize...
Yeah you're right, don't trust the French we English have been saying that for a 1000 years and you just laughed at us. Now you believe us, don't you... (ps they eat babies as well)
The lesson here is don't carry so much cash during your travel. France is well known for pick pockets, and they probably know who are the easy preys.
*Bunga*
I guess it comes from belonging to a country that has such a low almost non-existant crime rate when it comes to these kind of crimes like shoplifting/baglifting etc...they're Qataris & are used to that way of life,to all those screaming that they should've been more careful since they WEREN'T in Qatar,i agree but just trying to point out the flip side of the coin here,they're used to not watching out for their bag in a store...shit happens...bummer holiday though,then again as brit expat rightly pointed out,the amount lost is relative,might not mean much to them...
I think you are being unfair flan, the french could have closed the airport and set up road blocks as well......
come out in full force :-(
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
they now feel what other feels when you are in their country..... What comes around goes around!!!!
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" ..mAny aRe cAllEd, but fEw ArE ChOoSen.."
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Crime happens in any cities throughout th world. All we need is to be more vigilant and defensive when going outing with lots of jewellery
So get the same action here to expats. Only Locals get relly looked after
i could just imagine the mall manager pissing himself laughing when asked to close all entry points.
and a qatari complaining about lack of service!?
So she left the bag on the floor????? In Paris??? And it contained jewelry????
How does he expect the police to find whoever took the bag?? Did they actually watch the CCTV video? does it show somebody actually STEALING the bag, or just a woman standing near the bag and looking at all the Chanel merchandise?
€5000 ? in Cash?? WHY?
When I travel I use plastic to pay for everything. In Malaysia, most small shops didn't accept plastic, so I'd withdraw cash in small chunks of MYR1500 (almost QR1500).
My friend's Laptop stolen was stolen in France, Railway station just last week the bag also contained wife and daughters passport and money, .
Even here when you are robbed the police don't do anything many of QL's houses were robbed and the robbers are not yet caught
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Actually we hve crimes every few seconds.
This is exactly the reason I left behind these stupid countries.
The problem is that Qataris don't realise what a beautiful, safe, clean, safe, simple, safe, great country they live in. (Oh yeah, its safe too)
Going to Paris or London or Washington etc you are asking for trouble, because crime is an every-minute occurrence. YES, EVERY MINUTE!
It's our very own welcome present; theft, violent assault, murder and rape!
France is a popular destination among Qataris
I know cos I happened to be traveling to Paris this time two years back and you would not BELIEVE the number of applicants with Qatari passports...
Anyway, a good Qatari friend of mine told me once that when he was in Paris and struggling to take care of his young children and carrying one of them when a person came up to him and asked the time...
His hand with his watch on it was holding a brief case which he had to keep briefly on the ground to look at the time...
the next thing he knows the person who asked the time and the briefcase have both vanished...
Even in this particular case mentioned in the thread, the crime seems to have been committed by someone in a veil... ie. this was an organized crime
Just a week back there was another incident in Italy where serious money ~10M$ was stolen from a Saudi princess!!!
i think they have come to realize that Arabs are an easy target who carry around a lot of money and are not smart to the ways of a rough city...
This is what you get for going to these kind of countries. Should only visit Muslim countries, especially Mecca and the Madina.
These things happen everywhere in the World..
Pitstop: Its all relative. The amount in the handbag may seem large to us, but may be peanuts to this family..
WHAT TO DO AMIGO!!! WE ALL should learn from this one... valuables should be left home and just take your PLASTIC CARDS and average GREEN BUCKS with you when going in crowded places as well as destination that we are not familiar with... BE SIMPLE and things will be COOL and EASY...
It is funny how he thought he could get the manager to close all entry and exit points to the mall because of his/wife's carelessness.
@Pitstop - Isn't it possible they bought those items on that shopping trip ? What if they intended to splurge the entire 5000 Euros during that trip in the mall ?? Lots of possible reasons for carrying those pieces of jewelery and cash.
So sad man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Be cautious all the time.
Same with Italy. They do have a lot of thieves on both countries.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
similar incident happened with my sister. After her marriage she went for a honeymoon with her hubby in the Northern Part of Pakistan. One day in the evening while returning from shopping they were walking towards their hotel and in the middle someone stopped both of them on the gun point and took all her jewelery which she was wearing plus her purse and husband watch and purse.
When we asked her what was in her purse.... GUESS WHAT?
2 sets of her Gold jewelery, all the cash they had with them and other cards....
So this is very common with MOST of the women they like to carry BANK with them.
I don't feel pity for such people just because of their stupidity.
Always leave precious things at home, safe.
I never do. I am always holding it tight, and ilhamdillah I have never been put in such situations. I feel bad for her, but why would anyway walk around with 5000 EUROS and diamond jewelry in their hand bag? That I never understood.