Handbag Theft Scam

Bowling_4_Gold

Just a warning to anyone who has had their handbag stolen recently.

I was told this by my Sister when she visited us the other week.

Basically, My Sister's friend (lets call her Jude) went shopping in Bluewater, Kent and went to the toilet. She hung her handbag on a hook outside the cubicle, which unfortunatley was stolen. Jude did all the normal things (look round, ask in shops, call the police etc) but to no avaial and went home. After a few days, Jude recieved a phone call supposedly from John Lewis saying they found her bag and asking when will she come and collect it. At the pre-arranged time, she went to John Lewis to collect her bag; the staff did not know anything about it so after about an hour or two of confusion, Jude went home. As she got home, she stepped inside and her house had been burgled- completely cleared out. Of course, now she knows the John Lewis phone call was fake (made by the thiefs using the number stored on the phone which was in the stolen bag) and that the thiefs had her house keys (in the stolen bag) and of course knew she was going to be out for over an hour looking for the bag, so the perfect crime!

This is a true story, and I do hope none of you ever have to go through something like this. Just a warning - never leave your house empty when going to retrieve a stolen handbag!

Zara33

Why would anyone be so stupid as to leave a handbag outside a cubicle

dealer_wins

If you lose your handbag with housekeys and your address in it, an urgent change locks would be sort of be sensible?

Sublime_2

Zara33 wrote: »

Why would anyone be so stupid as to leave a handbag outside a cubicle

Ditto. No offence to the OP but thats asking for trouble.

beth464

I've heard this before almost word for word, except I think the bag was stolen from under the cubicle door. But it was John Lewis as well.

ilnf

How did they know no-one else would be home?

Valli

Handbag theft scam NEW?

this is one of the oldest tricks...
if you have your bag stolen with your keys in change your locks.

When my bag was stolen I had people in (arranged by insurance) the same evening to change my locks - fabulous service which put my mind at rest.

twentypenceoff

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/handbag.asp

snopes is your friend

ilnf

twentypenceoff wrote: »

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/handbag.asp

snopes is your friend

Sounded like BS. Thanks

twentypenceoff

anyway why would there be a prearranged time? a shop would just put in in their safe till it was collected, they might say avoid lunchtime but thats all.

Amanda

Always amazes me why some people post items purporting to be true and which has come from an urban myth website!

It always seems to be a 'friend' of theirs and ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!

Well Googled Twenty!