Thankfully in 40 plus years of travelling around London this is only the
second time someones tried to get my wallet and both times they failed.

I got on the 8:06 Richmond train out of Highbury & Islington this
morning and as usual it was packed. A guy pretending to be half asleep
with what looked like a full backpack in front of him kept leaning on
me, but I thought nothing of it. Luckily I have velcro on my pockets
flaps and I felt it being pulled and I then looked down to see his
fingers pulling at my pockets. I pushed his hands away and he did a big
waking up, not really knowing what was going on routine. He looked
awkward until the train came into Gospel Oak, where he got off and ran
up the platform. I did notice the rucksack was in fact empty and he'd
folded it over to make a hollow half football shape to hide his hands.

He was in his early 20's, about 6 foot tall and quite thin. Pretty
scruffy in trainers, jeans and a blue T shirt. Short dark hair with a
spotty face and really strong East European features.

So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick pockets
are about !!

--
Edward Cowling "Must Go - For He Is The Kwisatz Haderach"

On Jun 8, 11:44 am, Edward Cowling London UK
wrote:
Thankfully in 40 plus years of travelling around London this is only the
second time someones tried to get my wallet and both times they failed.

I got on the 8:06 Richmond train out of Highbury & Islington this
morning and as usual it was packed. A guy pretending to be half asleep
with what looked like a full backpack in front of him kept leaning on
me, but I thought nothing of it. Luckily I have velcro on my pockets
flaps and I felt it being pulled and I then looked down to see his
fingers pulling at my pockets. I pushed his hands away and he did a big
waking up, not really knowing what was going on routine. He looked
awkward until the train came into Gospel Oak, where he got off and ran
up the platform. I did notice the rucksack was in fact empty and he'd
folded it over to make a hollow half football shape to hide his hands.

He was in his early 20's, about 6 foot tall and quite thin. Pretty
scruffy in trainers, jeans and a blue T shirt. Short dark hair with a
spotty face and really strong East European features.

So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick pockets
are about !!

--
Edward Cowling "Must Go - For He Is The Kwisatz Haderach"

You failed to retain his testicles. Now he can breed more scum

Edward Cowling London UK wrote:

Thankfully in 40 plus years of travelling around London this is only the
second time someones tried to get my wallet and both times they failed.

I got on the 8:06 Richmond train out of Highbury & Islington this
morning and as usual it was packed. A guy pretending to be half asleep
with what looked like a full backpack in front of him kept leaning on
me, but I thought nothing of it. Luckily I have velcro on my pockets
flaps and I felt it being pulled and I then looked down to see his
fingers pulling at my pockets. I pushed his hands away and he did a big
waking up, not really knowing what was going on routine. He looked
awkward until the train came into Gospel Oak, where he got off and ran
up the platform. I did notice the rucksack was in fact empty and he'd
folded it over to make a hollow half football shape to hide his hands.

He was in his early 20's, about 6 foot tall and quite thin. Pretty
scruffy in trainers, jeans and a blue T shirt. Short dark hair with a
spotty face and really strong East European features.

So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick pockets
are about !!

By the last paragraph he apparently managed to turn your map sideways!
--
David of Broadway
New York, NY, USA

In message . com,
Adrian writes

So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick pockets
are about !!

--
Edward Cowling "Must Go - For He Is The Kwisatz Haderach"

You failed to retain his testicles. Now he can breed more scum


Everyone at work said the same and I was carrying a hefty umbrella. But
when it happens you realise no one else is aware of what happened and
you're going to be bashing the crap out of a stranger with no apparent
motive.

--
Edward Cowling "Must Go - For He Is The Kwisatz Haderach"

In message , David of Broadway
writes
Edward Cowling London UK wrote:

Thankfully in 40 plus years of travelling around London this is only
the second time someones tried to get my wallet and both times they
failed.
I got on the 8:06 Richmond train out of Highbury & Islington this
morning and as usual it was packed. A guy pretending to be half asleep
with what looked like a full backpack in front of him kept leaning on
but I thought nothing of it. Luckily I have velcro on my pockets
flaps and I felt it being pulled and I then looked down to see his
fingers pulling at my pockets. I pushed his hands away and he did a
big waking up, not really knowing what was going on routine. He
looked awkward until the train came into Gospel Oak, where he got off
and ran up the platform. I did notice the rucksack was in fact empty
and he'd folded it over to make a hollow half football shape to hide his hands.
He was in his early 20's, about 6 foot tall and quite thin. Pretty
scruffy in trainers, jeans and a blue T shirt. Short dark hair with a
spotty face and really strong East European features.
So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick
pockets are about !!

By the last paragraph he apparently managed to turn your map sideways!

Sorry North London Line.... I'm sure the East London line is chock full
of Nuns, Saints and little boys who are always polite to their Mums :-)

--
Edward Cowling "Must Go - For He Is The Kwisatz Haderach"

In message ,
writes
On Fri, 8 Jun 2007 19:44:16 +0100, Edward Cowling London UK
wrote:


So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick pockets
are about !!

I have always watched my valuables no matter which area of London I
happened to be in, I never relax in London and I am always pleased
when I am boarding the 17.45 out of Euston to come back up north .

Saying that I did once pay the fare of a young and fairly distressed
young oriental girl who was being given a hard time by a ticket
inspector on a train from Oxford into London. All my friends told me I
was a fool and I'd never see the money again.

A few weeks later I got a letter from her enclosing the money. So I try
not to be completely cynical....... but I do know what you mean.

--
Edward Cowling "Must Go - For He Is The Kwisatz Haderach"

On Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:40:21 +0100, wrote:

On Fri, 8 Jun 2007 19:44:16 +0100, Edward Cowling London UK
wrote:


So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick pockets
are about !!

I have always watched my valuables no matter which area of London I
happened to be in, I never relax in London and I am always pleased
when I am boarding the 17.45 out of Euston to come back up north .

So are we.

Can you board the 17.45 away from utl, please?

In ,
Edward Cowling London UK typed:

In message . com,
Adrian writes

So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick
pockets are about !!


You failed to retain his testicles. Now he can breed more scum


Everyone at work said the same and I was carrying a hefty umbrella.
But when it happens you realise no one else is aware of what happened
and you're going to be bashing the crap out of a stranger with no
apparent motive.


But presumably you made the police aware of what had happened by
reporting the incident



--
Bob

In message , Bob Wood
writes
In ,
Edward Cowling London UK typed:

In message . com,
Adrian writes

So watch your valuables on the East London Line, the vermin pick
pockets are about !!


You failed to retain his testicles. Now he can breed more scum


Everyone at work said the same and I was carrying a hefty umbrella.
But when it happens you realise no one else is aware of what happened
and you're going to be bashing the crap out of a stranger with no
apparent motive.


But presumably you made the police aware of what had happened by
reporting the incident

When I was burgled a few years back the police turned up next morning. A
lone officer who was told it was a car theft !

As I'd lost nothing I decided life was too short to fill in pointless
forms on the Transport Police website. What action do you think they
would take ? Tick another box on this months statistics ?

Sadly we're living in an age where we have to look after each other.

--
Edward Cowling "Must Go - For He Is The Kwisatz Haderach"

Fascinating!!

I have lived in East London for nearly 20 years and the closest I've come to being mugged was in Spalding, Lincolnshire on a visit to my childhood home area!!!!

Paula