EPISODE 108 ROBBERIES
No doubt most readers have been robbed at one time or another. Shocking in the past.
Common in the present with internet exposure. Trust is difficult because internet robbers
are so sophisticated.
Play the game called ‘FIND THE TOURIST’ at the end of these tales of woe.
Old time robbers were not as sophisticated as modern summers.
Robbers? Below
1) Like the robber our dog treed one winer evening. We heard a hullabaloo in the back yard
where Sonny was put out for a ‘walk’. What was he barking at? Unusual for Sonny since
he was such a placid dog…big, super friendly Labrador. At first we saw nothing
then noticed a tall thin man with his back to one of our trees. Almost invisible.
“Get the dog away.”
“Dog is friendly…will not bite.”
“What are you doing in our back yard?”
“I have been drinking…got lost.”
“Where do you live?”
“Over there on Hurontario.”
(He waved in the right direction. He was stumbling in that direction.
We had no lock on our gate and a deep back wilderness that eventually
linked up with Hurontario.)
“What is your name?” No answer, slurred
“Where is your house? No answer, or slurred
And away he went. Fooled us. We really thought
he was drunk. A few minutes later we changed our minds…likely
a break and enter person. Do not know really.
2) Like the robber who got into my workshop and stole
some of my power tools….electric saw, electric drill, etc….
a full arm load gone.
It was winTer time with fresh snow so I was able to track the thief
down through our backyard, across the little creek, up through the
wilderness park, out to Hurontario.
And right to the bus stop where the tracks ended and the thief
got away. Ridiculous. He probably sold all the tools for five
or ten dollars.
But what would I have done if I found him? Think about that.
Best he was not found and confronted.
3) Like the robber who got my cellphone from our truck.
Stupid of me to leave it there but such stupidity is common
in men. Less so in women, my wife says.
The cell phone was gone. Then we heard from neighbours
that they had been robbed as well. Much bigger take from
them. My cell phone was worth nothing so it was thrown
away in the road ditch where it was found by me.
I checked the calls. Turned out there were five calls
to the robbers friends. Names given. Clues given.
Long conversations registered. What to do?
I visited the local police station.
“I think the thieves can be traced, officer…information
on my cell phone.”
“We do not have time for small incidents like this.”
“What if I do the tracing?”
“I would not recommend that.”
4) Like the time we parked our car in Marseilles, France.
All of us…6 people. Relieved to find such a nice parking spot.
Tired and hungry. Looking around.
“Can you help me?” (might have been in French)
“Sorry,, we just arrived here ourselves.”
(followed by some brief small talk…MEANWHILE
on the other side of the car a thief made a
quick clutch and grab …got Marjorie’s purse
with a little money but, worse, all her cards and
I.D. There were ripples of that robbery long after due
to the info the robber may have sold to computer thieves.)
It happened so fast…done in less than a few seconds.
The nice person talking with us was the front man or woman…not
sure which sex but I think female…we did not even suspect the front person until long
afterward. What we learned, however, was that the choice parking
spot in the City of Marseilles was part of the scam.
5) Like the time Marjorie was sort of mugged by women thieves
in Slovakia. That also happened quickly. Kevin noticed me in trouble
first.
“Dad is being mugged out there…quick, I’ve got to get to him.”
I wasn’t being mugged. Just surrounded by a bunch of middle
aged women. Pressing in on me. Gabbling. Pretending something.
Maybe getting into my pockets with skilled hands. Nothing happened
though.
“No problem, Kevin…kept my hand on my wallet.”
The real robbery was happening in the Women’s washroom
where Marjorie had gone. As slick as a banana peel a cluster
of women pressed Marjorie. When they got what they thought was
her wallet they vanished fast.
“I was mugged in the washroom.”
“What did they get?”
“My glass case…I think they thought it was my wallet.”
Talking in Slovak which was natural. Tough looking
women suspected later as being Roma (Gypsies).
As fast as a whistle they frisked Marjorie and got what
they thought was her purse. Then Kevin, our son who was teaching
English in Slovakia just when the Soviet Union was in collapse,
then Kevin came running out cursing…and the women shot off
in various directions.
“Mom, do not stand around…you look like a tourist.”
“What do you expect me to do?”
“Stick with me.”
6, 7, 8…LOTS of little robberies. We have all had them. Scams
are now as common as fleas on the neighbours dogs and cats.
GAME: FIND THE TOURIST FROM PICS BELOW. (HINT: MARJORIE
SEEMS TO LIKE THE COLOUR RED
WHERE IS THIS STORY GOING?
Next Episode 109: OUR BIG ROBBERY…DEVASTATED BUT WHAT TO DO