Not a good experience for sure, with current levels of knife crime and the like it's good to hear you were only shaken up and not seriously hurt.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Not a popular opinion in bleeding-heart Britain, but one I agree with wholeheartedly.Originally Posted by langdalematt
Criminals now operate with negligible fear of prosecution. If they happen to be one of the unlucky few apprehended, they have no fear of the short stay they'll receive in one of the comfortable crime-academies we call "prisons". No danger of any political party addressing the issue, so it falls to society itself to take action...
This isn't the Bear Pit.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Snowflake society these days.
We’ve tipped the balance well in favour of criminal activity and you’ve just got to look at the crazy situation with moped gang crime in London to see how soft we are.
Just watch one of handmuff warrior’s YouTube videos you’ll see what the kids in London and other cities act like these days. Seeking Instagram fame with their strange accents and bragging on their stolen goods.
I watched a met police vid the other day where some prolific moped thief was chased on a stolen bike, dumped it and ran. During the chase he threw a large knife like a machete, they apprehended him and he got a small fine a community order.
We’re way too soft on criminals in this country. Look at the recent murders on London Bridge, the Guy was at some prisoner post release integration party wasn’t he? The people he stabbed to death were doing jobs we’ve created to help scumbag criminals. And then you find out he refused anti extremist counselling in prison. That alone should be an automatic ‘throw away the key’ moment... but nope, let them out early and help them mingle. People doing these jobs trying to help extremists fail to see they’re a joke to these people and they’re helping them do bad, not good!
The face of our police force is a joke too. The PCSO is just a toy for kids to intimidate and annoying youtubers (with better law understanding) to film and belittle.
Sorry, I should have added it was a good point and well made.Gah!
What are you doing then?
The selfridges watch room has its own high def cctv. Hopefully it had footage when you were in there too. Might help shed light.
Just glad you are ok
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSa1a5fbe1k
I guess this is the watch in the 2nd part of the video.
Just shocking to hear such stories in London these days, so glad you were not physically hurt.
OP: Sorry to hear about your terrible experience.
Did we have a thread on this forum on what was pinched before?
Just wondering how low down the chain they go since i couldnt afford a rolex or royal oak.
Wondering about my speedy reduced but out side of that only my seiko mm300 and seiko spring drive have any value but will not be recognised by the average thief i expect.
You mean like the IRA used to?
Really sorry to hear about this. Even reading it makes me feel sick. Glad that you’re safe.
To think that I was in Regent/Oxford street last week, wearing my Batman while visiting WoS and Patek... how easily this could have happened to me too. Guess I won’t be wearing any of my nicer watches when I next go into London....
Watches can be replaced, the fleshy bit can't.
Just heard about an English chap being killed in Buenos Aires resisting a robbery, what a shame.
Sent from my SM-G965F using TZ-UK mobile app
It's doubtful they know exactly what watch is being worn, rather than what establishments are being shopped in. The OP could have been wearing a £50 quartz and they probably would have tried to nick it.
You don't (generally) hear of people getting targeted for their watch as they come out of Argos.
Really sorry to hear this Mike, it was this time last year I visited your shop to buy my first Rolex and really enjoyed those few hours chatting about watches and cars, I also watched the Bonhams auction and could see why you were there, Comex, vintage Daytona’s and other stunning watches.
Hopefully these lowlife will be caught and the AP shows up, unfortunately with the rise of watch crime it’s almost a trendy thing to do for gangs in London and other big cities.
I hope this bad experience doesn’t effect how you feel about watches and collecting, like others have said it could have involved knives and been much worse.
Glad your okay and keep us updated..
Really sorry to hear this Mike. Best wishes fella.
TZ UK Vigilante squads all tooled up and ready to go? You going to run one of the chapters? Iron fist. Zero tolerance. Grave consequences. Sounds like a Tory justice minister at a party conference. Seriously, vigilantism isn’t the answer.
Well with the number of knives and guns sold on SC I wouldn’t be surprised. And judging by a lot of the chat on here I’m sure they would be used.
We need to step back from talk of vigilantism and focus on giving the police the resources to do their job properly. In one night here in Edinburgh last week the police apprehended three pickpockets doing the rounds of the busiest parts of the city. A combination of uniformed officers and plain clothes on the ground. People say the police aren’t concerned with acquisitive crime, but that one example would suggest otherwise.
I’m sure gangs would be quaking in their boots at the idea of mobs of middle aged men in brogues and belstaff jackets with 10k watches they are terrified to get a scratch on “Tooled up” looking for “Bover”
Plenty of Liam Neesons on the internet but we are talking about the real world now.
Nothing should distract from the fact the OP has gone through a horrible experience and I hope those who did this are caught and brought to justice.
Imagine seeing a thief getting chased by a guy in size 8 trickers boots wearing a XXXL belstaff in an MX5.
I derped, I got called-out: all's fair in love and fora!Sorry, I should have added it was a good point and well made.
Not even dreaming of hurting a hair on their precious little heads, obviously.
It shouldn't be, but Britain just re-elected a party that will continue to under-resource the police, so that begs the question - what is the answer?
I'll hold my hand-up to over-reacting, but it disgusts me that decent, honest hard-working people like OP can so readily be victims of violent crime, and all we hear is how the perps themselves are somehow "victims", and we all know full-well little or no action will be taken!
Glad you're safe OP, just returned from London myself- thankfully without Incident
I'm always in the 'won't happen to me' gang and this is a scary reminder that it can happen to any of us
glad that you are ok though & hope the police catch up with the scrotes
Hadn’t heard that TBH.
But they (the pickpockets) will be at it again as soon as they are released from custody. The TV reality programmes are full of serial repeat offenders. Not sure what the answer is. Police must be as brassed off as anyone.
Shocking attack on the OP, by the way. Glad that the physical harm was not more serious.
I shouldn't be laughing at this.
now I realise what a foolish mistake I made when leaving the London GS store they gave me a bag to carry some brochures.
though I later gave it to a woman who was struggling carry some shopping gifts I hope she didnt get mugged because of the bag.
That’s awful, I do hope you can shake it off and enjoy a happy Christmas.
I’m shocked to read about the location, I had that area down as more or less safe and enjoy the odd walk round the watch room. You hear of pick pockets and shop lifters but I’ve never been worried about wearing a watch in the West End. I hope it’s not a new trend.
Pleased your ok Mike. A lesson to be learned from this. Sad state of affairs but London has always been a violent place, I'm always on my guard when I visit. Lets hope the watch reappears?
How did the prison sentence act as a deterrent?
Do you not think that anyone whom knows her and what has happened to her may think twice before trying the same thing??
I think she and everyone else in Thailand knows what the penalty for this kind of theft is.
Snowflake
RIAC
Really surprised to see Thames Valley and Surrey so low on that list based on my experience
[QUOTE=langdalematt;5275850]Snowflake[/QUOTE
Not the first time I’ve been called a snowflake around here. I can live with it.
Last edited by seabiscuit; 17th December 2019 at 22:59. Reason: Replied in haste.
[QUOTE=seabiscuit;5276203]I think it was a joke tbf
[QUOTE=Hood;5276320]
Okay. Sorry, I’m full of cold right now and probably too snappy for my own good. I’ll edit my response.
Interesting map, I’m lucky to live in a dark green area, hopefully it isn’t as bad as it looks in the red and up areas..
Sorry to hear about what happened.
I know from personal experience what a awful experience it is having had my Subc stolen in similar circumstances in Islington early 2017.
The main thing is you were not seriously hurt in any way.
Last edited by boring_sandwich; 18th December 2019 at 07:40.
Only read this now, horrible experience and happy that it was 'only' the watch which went missing.
Some of the other stuff in this thread is just disgusting. You know who I mean.
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
This seems like classic fear mongering. What's the data? Deaths caused by eating too many pies?
There's lots of problems and scary incidents out there like this one but the UK in general is very safe compared with lots of other countries. Stay safe out there
Sent from my POT-LX1 using TZ-UK mobile app
Really sorry to hear this, totally shocking and unacceptable. After similar reports of this, I stopped wearing an obviously expensive watch when wandering about, it's a shame and probably an overreaction but decided it's just not worth the attention.
I hope the police catch them.
Having had similar happen to me (many years ago - thankfully) I completely sympathise.
I hope you are OK - it knocked my self confidence and I was scared to walk the street where it happened for a while.
Hopefully you were insured and can move on without too much anguish.
Take it easy,
Mark C
Latest development:
I got a telephone call from the Police on Tuesday evening as some of my muggers were being arrested in Selfridges.
Three of the five (I thought it was four, but there was a fifth attacker!) are now in custody and will remain so until they appear in Crown Court.
My watch has not been recovered, but at this moment, I am very happy that at least some of the gang are off the streets.
Security at Selfridges spotted the three after identifying them following me into and around the store on the Wednesday evening when I was attacked and robbed.
MW
**I'm getting more updates from the Police
The Police arrested three men, two of whom they are charging with my robbery. They are Algerians, and have been in the country for less than a fortnight. They have refused to provide an address, and are being held in custody until they appear in Court on 16th January.
The Police are continuing their investigations (they seem very active in the pursuit of these robbery gangs operating in the capital) and are hopeful of apprehending more of my attackers.
My watch was not insured, so yes, it will be great if I get it back but I am realistic that this is very unlikely.
Last edited by Mike Wood; 19th December 2019 at 16:49.
Good job Selfridges Security ! Hopefully they won't have moved your watch on yet and it may be recovered too.
Great to hear 3/5 are in custody. Hopefully the courts are clogged and they spend Christmas behind bars. Top job by Selfridges security for spotting them.
They should be allowed to water board them to find out where your watch is, hope you get it back and they get a decent sentence.
That's great news MIke, I hope they throw away the Key
Thanks for keeping us updated Mike. It looks like you’ve had some ‘revenge’ by engaging with the Selfridges security team. Well done.
Let’s hope a long custodial sentence gives them time to reflect....
Let your watch/home insurance company know. The day insurance companies will use civil lawsuits against criminals it might make them think twice (they may spend Christmas in jail but they’ll probably get no more than a slap on the wrist, or a token sentence of twice the time they’ll have spent in jail, thus would be freed instantly. A civil lawsuit might change this unless they return your watch)
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
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