Wallet Stolen In Carrefour today
Yes, I am the American woman who's wallet was stolen out of her purse today at the Carrefour. Please beware ladies as I do not want anyone to go through what I have been through today. It is two ladies, here is the scam. One young girl dressed in full abaya comes up to me in the cheese section and pretends to not speak any English and wants me to help her with cheese. She is the distractor and then the other lady takes the wallet out of the purse. I am positive they are just after money because I had my passport, keys, camera, cell phone, etc... in the purse also. After two frustrating hours with security they do not have any leads. I have heard that usually the crooks take the money and discard the wallet but I have not yet had any reports of the wallet being found. It was a very sad shopping day. I was in the store around 3:30 pm today. I have to admit I have become lax about security and thoughts of theft...no more.
well according to my opinion qatar was safe but not now. As i was going through this thread 1 of our collegue said it happens every where the crime scence, to ur acknowledge i m resident of qatar for a long time ( as i born here) i never saw these types of things before may be because there was balance in the life as money and needs.
but now its no more. We can see that life of qatar is becoming very much expensive. A normal person can not fulfill all his/her needs in small amount of money.
As we go around, the rents, daily use items, grocery items, food stuff everything are expensive where as the salary for the normal person is still same 2000-3000.
U r rite mate may be there will be a guy in abaya. Why don't we think that if the same situation will remain then that day is not far that this qatar will be in a hit list.
Before there was nothing to be stole as ppl were happy wht they were getting bcoz the lifestyle was not that much expensive as today.
if we take this thing economically then as there is a statement that where there is rise in demand there shuld be rise in supply. Now-a-days there is demand of high rents, high prices of ur needs but no supply of good salary so buddies wht u think will qatar will be safe in futur.. MY ANSWER IS NO
Lets not be ridiculous, every country has its crime rate....where theres rich and poor in the same city??? Its not rocket science...if I was living in shyte and paid peanuts, I too would swipe the purse from a reckless woman if I could!
This Indian lady (msanonymous) is tryna bash Qatar's security up in here. I wonder how things are in Bombay....hmmm. Aint no need to comment on that, is there.
Security in Qatar is overrated.
It's high time that people should be more vigilant to their surroundings and be informed that things such as these (i.e. theft) is happening in Qatar.
So sorry for your loss ma'am.
Be informed. Protect yourself.
oh ok playa07, sorry bout that :)
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This is really annoying, and it gives me the urge to beat those two ugly women. I'll give you a tip.
Those kind of people see western women as kind-hearted, stupid and easy victims.
http://ilovesarah.us
labda06. I wasn't talking to you back there. I was to the lady that had her wallet stolen.
I think "freedom" is a poor choice of word, but I agree with what you're saying!
And you're right, the whole "random strangers picking up your kids" thing takes a while to get used to!
Hmm, intersting thread... but as someone stated if you were in Europe, the US or Canada your hand bag wouldnt last a New York minute in a shopping trolley. Heck, you could get knifed in broad day light for your bag in some places.
Qatar is one of the safest countries, I very seldomly have fear of anything here as I do back home. If someone in Canada picked up my kid and kissed him on the cheek and commented on how cute he was I would report him to the police. Here is is common. We have a lot more freedom here than most if us would in our home countries (unless you were brought up in the stix).
Leaving your valuables unattended is asking for trouble. As also mentioned in previous threads the poverty level here has gone up astronomically. Some people steal just to eat, perhaps it is convenient to steal in the same place you can buy food :)
i have heard about that theft, pickpockets, and other things were happening in Qatar itself. I have one friend he came from qatar before he moved in here in bahrain. he just told me that there were thieves and snatchers also in the malls and markets. for your security better to be watchful and attentive on your belongings and by that you are refraining them on having a chance to get something from you. so far here in bahrain i have walking and malling for the past years and never i heard a report about snatching of wallets and mobile phones so far. I will be much careful then when I moved to qatar.
janeyjaney, even a guy could wear the abaya ;)
Who would know?!
Once the perp has left the building , it would be difficult to track him/her..
As TallG said, its up to us to be more careful, not careless!
I lady wearing an abaya did the deed..
I wonder how they can narrow that to a lead.. csi
i thought Carrefour have a camera everywhere? Did they check the recorded vidoes?
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Quality dude! Quality!
... never put temptation in anyone's way.
In other words, keep your bloomin' money out of sight and in a safe place NOT in full view hanging from your shopping trolley, or whatever.
Even a virtuous person who's never stolen a penny in their life! could be tempted in those circumstances, let alone a trained gang of pick-pockets.
Qatar is clearly one of the safest countries in the world however you look at it. That's fairly obvious. But people who take that to mean they can leave their car unlocked or their purse unattended deserve what they get.
Whatever you say amnesia. Good read though.
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@labad, I do look at them and I analyse them critically. You simply look at the surface.
Let me see now, we are working with a low crime rate (from what is reported to the cops/in the press) right?
It is the SAME international formula. That's the point.
At the end of the day, I feel much safer than walking at night in London, Tokyo or Cali. Simple as that.
You look at the number of murder, rape or robberies over there and you get basic facts.
Bad drivers and people dieing in the workplace because of lack of safety. Quite simply, I can assure you that if you even wanted to count that as a crime, then the number would be significantly lower than most countries STILL.
The only one that seems to understand clearly that you have to look at things deeper is Tallg.
Oh and the stats which I use AREN'T Qatar's, it's CIA and other sources.
Simple fact: Qatar is not the safest country in the world as "they" say. SIMPLE. Don't try to turn this into something its not.
I'm not turning it into anything. What I said, and pay attention here, is "Qatar is ONE OF THE safest countries in the World.".
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Mr. Q's Blog - A Qatari's view on Qatar.
To Supernurse: I NEVER wear revealing clothes and have been stared at many times. Even had a picture taken of me while taking a walk on the corniche. And there was no way I was wearing anything revealing.
I think Qatar is pretty safe, especially when I compare it to South Africa. I don't believe the official statistics from this country, though. I think there's a lot more crime that happens that doesn't get reported. But then I'm careful not to put myself in situations that those crimes could happen to me.
playa07, I am not a woman. I am not female. I just like to put my hair in pigtails. Ever watched "The Crying game". Yes. Now skip away.
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I believe Qatar is one of the safest countries on planet. In the US teachers "in some states" are carrying guns to protect themselves from students!!! jreggiehall, sorry for your loss, next time be more careful
Qatar is still one of the safest countries in the world. Good thing is she just had her wallet stolen. If this was LA, you bet your life, she woulda been shot too- if not murdered. So take a chill pill woman.
Sorry AbuAmerican but uhmmm my statement was as simple as they get..."Why do people keep saying Qatar is the safest country in the world?" Maybe I should have put a :) after it...
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yes amnesia, look at the stats. As simple as that.
Let me see now, we are working with a low crime rate (from what is reported to the cops/in the press) right? Ok, and we have decided to omit a significant number of the factors considered when determining the safety of a country. In that case the number of labourers who die per day due to unsafe working conditions is not relevant. Yes. People, and I said people drive like maniacs here. But again, nooooooo not relevant because the life expectancy of my life or yours or Dohn Joe's should not be considered when determining how safe a country is, right? Yes amnesia, take your own advice and look at the stats. There are plenty more.
I am not trying to bash Qatar. But just because cases of purses being stolen are few and far between is hardly any indicator whatsoever of the high level of safety in ANY COUNTRY. Simple fact: Qatar is not the safest country in the world as "they" say. SIMPLE. Don't try to turn this into something its not.
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timtan - I don't often agree with Supernurse, but I have to say that nearly every time I go to a shopping mall I see women wearing what would be considered revealing clothing in Qatar. Spaghetti straps, skirts above the knee, low cut tops, even hot pants on one occasion.
how devine timtan...you to, off to dream of even more revealing women.......Hardcore I think......
timtan, ok, maybe you don't see them as revealing but to many in this culture it is ie hotpants to carrefour during Ramadan.??????.....please don't assume that I have been anywhere near a medicine cabinet ;)
a lady in abaya did it.. now thats something i havent heard of...
timtan, obviously you don't get out much to see enough revealing clothing...do you live in Saudi? I see alot of women in 'reveling cloths'as you put it......so keep up with the thread then lad you were the one that deviated....not me!!
When they walk around like this in Antarctica, they freeze to death.
ok, when women walk around in revealing clothes especially in this country they ask for trouble! these are the people that moan when they get stared at!.......
Antarctica is safer!!
I feel like leaving a full purse of anthrax......when they get it home that'll teach em!
No country is 'safe' and it would be naive to think so. Whenever there is a mix of money and no money there will always be crime and when women walk around like tarts there will be crime....
@Kaiiria wow you don't seem to be very intelligent. Look at the stats, Qatar still IS one of the safest in the world. The amount of crime here isn't as high, and it's for THAT fact that it's low that people get concerned with a PURSE snatch.
Thank God you're not getting sexually assualted in Japan, robbed at Knife Point in the US, or worse, getting killed in England.
@labda, look at stats. simple as that.
Qatar IS one of the safest in the world.
@alexa, safety and poverty are too different subjects. The only link is that poverty can link to crime.
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Mr. Q's Blog - A Qatari's view on Qatar.
AbuAmerican...don't excite yourself now...
I was saying I wonder why people keep saying that Qatar is the safest place on earth. It certainly is not. And I didn't say its not safe either. Plain and simple. Whats your problem then? Try that link I put up. When I lived in a certain country in Europe they said it was the safest place in the world. And then a bomb went off in the building I studied in.
Iftar is near man, relax.
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this is terrible and i thought that this is one of the safest place on earth~guess i was wrong
are to be blamed. While shopping especially in groceries, I saw several women placing their bags on the push cart. This invites the 'snatchers' or 'pickpocketeers'. Well, I saw not only bags or wallets some of these women left of their cart but also babies or little kids which if off balance,then fall!
I had fallen asleep by the time this was posted. Drats.
Atleast they only took your wallet.
Why do people keep saying Qatar is the safest country in the world?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/463793/top_5_safest_countries_in_the_world.html?cat=16
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Welcome to the new Qatar, welcome to the new riff raff that has joined the people in this country. I remember when I came here 5-6 years back it was really safe and you could even leave your car unlocked with mobile, cash and laptop in there. Now I can see qatar following the Jones's, Guns on the streets, car theft, mobile theft, purses being stolen.
Welcome to the new world order.
I am so sorry for your stressful day! poor you.
i hope they catch these people...tricking others and robbing them esp during Ramadan is horrible. They are obviously not poor with all the money they steal.
I tuck my wallet into my waiste band when i shop.....
well..you should be aware next time. To be extra careful and vigilant of your belongings.
Guys, NEVER put your wallet in your back pocket - you become a pick pocket's dream!
Did you Google it first?
people in Doha usually don't mind their belongings very carefully because we're not used to this sort of thing happening! in other cities i'm even afraid to carry a mobile but in Doha i can openly hold it wherever i go...
seems we all need to be a little more vigilant about our bags these days. and don't carry something important if you don't need it with you that day.
at least they didn't steal the passport.
u usually get a hummer or a Bently in the lucky draw with those coupons.
Now, imagine the guy winning it with those extra 3 coupons :)
---Life is Fragile, Handle with Prayer---
i need to be more carefull next time leaving my bag hangin in the trolley
Everybody is right everybody is wrong, it depend where you stand
/what a palova! Now you have to apply for a new passport. I really feel for you and hope it is made easy for you.
Maryum : Umm Hasan bint Abdullah Alshabrawishi
would like to know why u didn't complain for security coz we have civil security they roaming around and we use to do that to protect our client there and even we have female security she take care about other ladies.
about the coupon when u buy for 50 QR u will get coupon to win one of our 16 hummer or Cadillac cars coz we have one winner every week.
and what happen to you will happen every where in the world not only in dasman,
those people we cant stop them if no one complain about them and when u reach to cash counter at least u have to inform the security guard front of the exit door and u will see what will happen.
hope will not happen to u any more but please if that happen we requset u to let us to know about it,and u will see what going to happen to him
take care always where ever u will be
GOD BLESS all of us/
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would you keep you passport in your purse never do that. and this is their season the females in abaya will try to stalk some one and when they are confident that this could be our next prey they sure will try to rob you by anymean so be aware dont think that all the woman in abaya are same.
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I dropped today by Dasman, and while shopping, come across the cart with the lady’s purse, that has been left alone completely… I looked around, it was very quite in there, almost nobody… and finally I noticed a couple somewhere around the corner in like 10 m distance from the cart… well, i suggested them not leave the purse like that.. the woman seemed to be surprised why I am giving this kind of suggestions...
By the way it was weird trip to Dasman… I spent there only 20 minutes, and 3 little accidents happened during this time..I told you about the first one..
The second one…as I mentioned, the store was almost empty.. so I walked into one of the sections, with all these dishes and glasses, and noticed that one guy was following me… he passed by and said: Hi.. First I thought, it might be somebody from the QLSG that I just didn’t remember.. so I automatically said: hi… he stopped beside me and asked what was my name… so asked him, if I know him… and here he started, looking straight into my eyes: "We are friends! We are good friends! I want to take a good care of you".. and such…I got shocked for the second… then I looked around, it was nobody at this section, and guy was getting closer and closer… so I turned and walked away pretty fast…
And at the end, when I was at the cashier, some man was in front of me. He looked like a decent man in his late 40s.. could be an engineer or so…in Dasman, for each 50 QR spent they give 1 coupon (have no idea what is that for, never pay attention on such things).. so after this man has paid, he got a certain number of coupons for the amount he has spent... He didn’t want to move. He was staying beside the cashier for about 5-6 minutes, looking into his Invoice and calculating something. Eventually he asked the cashier, why she didn’t give him one more coupon for the last 45 QR. The girl answered, it’s because she only gives coupons for each 50 QR. He started arguing, got angry... She said that she is not allowed to give coupon for less than 50QR. Meanwhile I made my payment for my stuff and got 3 coupons (yeah, by the way, I dropped by Dasman only to buy a coffee, and end up with 160 QR groceries..LOL).. so I got these 3 coupons, when the man was still insisting on this one extra coupon, and didn’t want to move, blocking the exit for me… so I simply asked him if he want all my 3 coupons, just please let me get out of here.. I thought he will realize that I am kind of making fun of him.. but nooo.. he grabbed all these 3 coupons, keeping thanking me... but at least finally he moved and let me out…so I am wondering what were these coupons about and what did I give away.. LOL…
What a weird people I met today in Dasman…
also i herd that in lulu
the same story
but they cought her in lulu also the same details
they only attaking women
and after they took the money they throw it in the parking then someone bring it to the security and they give it back without money :(
only ID and other cards
dont know what to say but all of us must keep our wallets under eye
Sorry to hear that, Maam!
For everyone's information, a similar thing happened to us in my previous company/office about 2 years ago also during Ramadan season. The suspects are also (not just 2) 3 ladies in abaya/black clothing. Similar thing of distraction and not speaking/understanding English.
The only thing is, they were not able to steal our wallets and/or any money in the office. My wallet almost fell out of my back pocket (you have an idea how!).
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I only wish you get back your other stuff somehow.
WHat happened to you and to the other women at Lulu has changed my perception of no theft in Qatar.
I hope that the silver lining to your dark clouds won't take long to come.
YOu take care and keep others aware. I will from my side.
Scams are becoming regular in the Hypermarkets nowadays. Extra care must be taken by everyone.
Think i'm having a Dejavu, I had a dream last night that my wallet and car were stolen. But i found my wallet without the money.
Sorry for your loss, but you need to be much more careful with your belongings.
These people need to be reported to the concerned authorities if you have a whiff of suspicion.
Dr.Eshan Muneer
dnt go carrfour simple....
lolz
I recently read in Gulf Times or The Peninsula - online, that in Lu-Lu Hypermarket it happened the same: one lady at shopping there realized the missing of her money from the purse hanged on trolley...Security searched the video registration and they saw there is a woman with her daughter, totally black dressed, in action...So,I am sorry for your bad day, be careful and do not leave your bag unsupervised hanged on or in the trolley anymore...I had also bad experiences and I learned to wear a "mail-man" type bag while shopping in my country ;-)...
low crime doesnt mean no crime !
most likely in the shopping trolley where anyone can snatch it specially with carrefour being busy in Ramadan..they can literally pick it and stuff it in one of their over sized purses they trot around with!! who will know..NO ONE..that's why we all have 2 be aware of our surroundings
Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought him back.
where was the purse?
.grrrrrrr, burning with anger.....
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And they say Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world just because of the extreme security procedures and measures they take...
Be careful next time...Carrefour should install more cameras on their premises...