Romanian pickpockets detained
Good news after the lead story here this morning about Cabo Girão thieves imitating tourists whilst they went about their business. The Diario reports online that the PSP (Security Police) arrested two Romanian pickpockets on location earlier today.
The thieves were arrested as they were preparing to start their day’s work and taken to the police station at Câmara de Lobos where they were questioned.
It is understood that they were posing as tourists whilst operating at a “mirador” that attracts over 19,000 visitors annually (2021).
The Romanians are believed to be part of an itinerant international network of thieves operating in a number of European cities.
COVID-19 in Madeira: updates can be found in an earlier post
All the incidental from Madeira – up to 60 reports per day – is being picked up automatically, translated, and posted on our sister website, madeiraislandnews, no matter how trivial:
I have to say that by describing the alleged thieves as Romanians is unfortunate. It gives the impression that , well, it comes as no surprise as that is what we would expect from immigrants. We have a lot of Romanians here in the UK and they are welcome and from my experience are law abiding citizens trying to earn a living. A shameful display of prejudice.
You really need to get out more and see the extent of Romanian criminality throughout Europe , practically destroying the tourism in Barcelona and the subway network, pickpocketing being the crime of choice, London just the same all backed by criminal gangs, it stands without saying that there are good Romanians but that does not exempt the bad ones from identification
I’ve witnessed pickpockets in Barcelona on the Lá Ramblas. When a shopkeeper intervened, they spat at her.
No prejudice, just stating a fact. No where does it say all Romanians are thieves. It is your sort of pious prejudice that causes trouble.
This particular pair were Romanians. If this is known, it’s reasonable to include that fact.
There’s nothing here that says that all Romanians are thieves so why should people make that conclusion? Every nation has its share of crooks. They aren’t restricted to a geographical area.
Interestingly JM had an article (Fri) on the arrest of the two thieves in which they only say they were foreign. Nothing about being Romanian.
They also give the ages (46 and 58) which are older than I would have guessed.
It seems the computer stolen from the Monte Parish Council has been recovered and the two alleged criminals arrested. The report stated they were both born and lived in the parish of Funchal. What’s good enough for the Madeirans is good enough for the Romanians.
Well, I fully expected the responses to my comment and they come as no surprise. Of course, the phrase ‘2 Romanian pickpockets’ does not imply all Romanians are pickpockets. Nevertheless, it is the way it is reported that troubles me. It comes over as ‘Romanians, that explains why the crime rate is rising’. Let’s blame Johnny Foreigner rather than the local police to prevent it happening in the first place. Had the police announced they had arrested 2 people for theft at Cabo Girao then no criticism. Also, picking a pocket is not in the same league as Drug smuggling and you expect more information for the most serious crimes.