Handbag Stolen

Keeping_Motivated

Do Costa have cameras inside or outside?

Bogof_Babe

You don't mention a mobile phone but if you did lose one don't forget to get it blocked if it's on a contract.

I've been on trains twice recently when girls have had things stolen. First a handbag, then a wallet. The trains were from Manchester too, going to Cardiff. It almost seems like there is a gang at work in the area.

fruitcake_2

Keeping_Motivated wrote: »

Do Costa have cameras inside or outside?

No cameras inside unfortunately, the coffee shop is actually situated within the mall, so not enclosed within the shopping centre. I did ask the security person who took my details about the camera along the walkway next to the area, but he implied that they tend to follow the security people to make sure they are safe....I really wanted to see the footage to see who could have walked off with it, you never know. Am tempted to write to the Arndale and ask if they will let me view it, even though they may refuse it under the data protection act, but I would have thought that as a crime was committed they might let me view it....think they would have if the police took more of an interest......I don't understand what the point was of telling the police other than for them to give me a crime number. I don't know who to ask to investigate so am going to do as much as I can within the law.

fruitcake_2

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

You don't mention a mobile phone but if you did lose one don't forget to get it blocked if it's on a contract.

Luckily I had my mobile in my coat pocket.....

kitschkitty

I had my bag stolen a few years, ago, and apart form a crime number the police did nothing about it. The fact that my bag was stolen in a different city made it even worse. The only good thing was that it was my bag and not my mums as she had a lot more cards, cash and our train tickets in her bag.

But it really is a wrench - all those small personal things you can't replace.

andyrules

fruitcake wrote: »

No cameras inside unfortunately, the coffee shop is actually situated within the mall, so not enclosed within the shopping centre. I did ask the security person who took my details about the camera along the walkway next to the area, but he implied that they tend to follow the security people to make sure they are safe....I really wanted to see the footage to see who could have walked off with it, you never know. Am tempted to write to the Arndale and ask if they will let me view it, even though they may refuse it under the data protection act, but I would have thought that as a crime was committed they might let me view it....think they would have if the police took more of an interest......I don't understand what the point was of telling the police other than for them to give me a crime number. I don't know who to ask to investigate so am going to do as much as I can within the law.

It is disappointing when police seem to do no more than issue a crime number. However, all reports are recorded and statistics/crime patterns gleaned from these. Under-reporting plays down the magnitude of crime.

geri1965_2

Sorry to hear this. I've been robbed a few times, and always keep a close eye on my bag, in spite of this however someone managed to steal mine from underneath my table in a pub, and there were at least 12 of us at the table and nobody saw a thing! A couple of years later I was in the same pub and a girl had her bag stolen - we were opposite her table the whole time and didn't see the person who took it. They are just so quick.

illuminate

fruitcake wrote: »

I really wanted to see the footage to see who could have walked off with it, you never know. Am tempted to write to the Arndale and ask if they will let me view it, even though they may refuse it under the data protection act..

Quite the opposite actually.

If you are captured on CCTV they are actually obliged to provide you with a copy of the footage if you ask. There may be an admin charge however.

Treadway1

I know all Police Services are different but the Met in London (And especially the City of Westminster) take this very seriously, and have specialist plain clothes teams set up to combat it.

If its any consolation, you shouldnt feel silly for losing it, as the people who commit these crimes are professionals, and do this all day long. As for the guys that you asked about seeing it, Id very much doubt it was them, as generally as soon as the crime has been committed, they will leave pdq before you realise anything has gone.

I know how frustrating/upsetting/annoying this can be (Believe me) but please dont think the Police arent interested just because the person at that station who took the report didnt seem to care (Bare in mind hes probably been standing there all day being told about everyones woes. I think that would depress me eventually aswell). All he/she does is take the report, and then it will get passed to a specialist team (Generally a CID team as this is classed as a priority crime in most places), who will follow up all lines of enquiry, including, as you mention, CCTV. One other thing to say is that because this crime is so specialist (Which it is. Believe it or not, people actually get trained how to do this properly!!!), there are usually not many people doing it, so if a familiar face pops up when Police are reviewing CCTV (If there is any suitable available), then this could lead to an offender being identified.

The last thing, and probably most importantly, is that these people arent generally interested in any of your cards, id or house keys, etc.. All they really want is money and phones/ipods, etc., that they can get rid of/sell easily.

Im so sorry to hear about this though, as it is awful when something like this happens, as its not just the theft that is annying, but the hassle in sorting everything out afterwards. I hope you get things back to normal soon though.

hollydays

fruitcake wrote: »

No cameras inside unfortunately, the coffee shop is actually situated within the mall, so not enclosed within the shopping centre. I did ask the security person who took my details about the camera along the walkway next to the area, but he implied that they tend to follow the security people to make sure they are safe....I really wanted to see the footage to see who could have walked off with it, you never know. Am tempted to write to the Arndale and ask if they will let me view it, even though they may refuse it under the data protection act, but I would have thought that as a crime was committed they might let me view it....think they would have if the police took more of an interest......I don't understand what the point was of telling the police other than for them to give me a crime number. I don't know who to ask to investigate so am going to do as much as I can within the law.

I would contact the police quoting the crime number and ask when THEY are going to view the cctv footage to check it,and keep onto them.The Arndale won't let you view it,and I think it's unlikely they will view it unless asked by the police.