Have you ever been mugged and where? (college, areas)
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I was mugged as a teen in Boston, in the area between Chinatown and the shopping district late at night. I had headphones on and the guy grabbed me from behind but I fought him off and was pretty proud of it.
Happened again in Venice Beach, CA, at night; he grabbed the girl I was walking with and demanded my wallet. was also able to fight him off after he let her go but it was not a pleasant situation... Poor girl had nightmares about it for years after and gave me a bit of PTSD for awhile.
Almost got mugged again in the International District of Seattle but I took a handgun with me because it was a rough area, I was in a similar situation to the mugging in LA (going with a female friend to a dinner) and had a really bad feeling. He threatened us but I pulled the gun and he bolted.
So, thankfully, I'm up 3/0 but hopefully that's where it stays. Now that I'm older and with a family, I take a lot more precautions and won't live in a risky area.
I still doubt pick pocketing is any worse in Europe, obviously it will vary wildly depending on location but I would imagine the rates between Vancouver and similar sized cities in Europe would be similar. There seems to be this irrational fear of pick pockets within Europe (in fact crime in general) circulating the Northern half of the Americas.
According to this list, 8/10 top countries for pickpocketing are in Europe.
Easthome is simply incorrect when he states that pick pocketing crime in Vancouver is the same as in some European cities. Our crimes of opportunity are mainly bike thefts, and car break-ins.
Easthome is simply incorrect when he states that pick pocketing crime in Vancouver is the same as in some European cities. Our crimes of opportunity are mainly bike thefts, and car break-ins.
Very true. Pickpocketing is very rare in USA and Canada.
In the rougher cities you're actually more likely to be robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint than have your wallet subtly lifted without noticing.
Easthome is simply incorrect when he states that pick pocketing crime in Vancouver is the same as in some European cities. Our crimes of opportunity are mainly bike thefts, and car break-ins.
Really? Wo what about Vancouver compared to Rennes? Vancouver compared to Manchester? Vancouver compared to Oslo? Vancouver compared to Blackburn? How do you know I'm simply 'incorrect'? I wager with you that there are many European cities with less 'pick pocketing' than in Vancouver no? Also I thought this thread was about mugging no?
Really? Wo what about Vancouver compared to Rennes? Vancouver compared to Manchester? Vancouver compared to Oslo? Vancouver compared to Blackburn? How do you know I'm simply 'incorrect'? I wager with you that there are many European cities with less 'pick pocketing' than in Vancouver no? Also I thought this thread was about mugging no?
You are the one who said "I still doubt pick pocketing is any worse in Europe, obviously it will vary wildly depending on location but I would imagine the rates between Vancouver and similar sized cities in Europe would be similar. "
This simply isn't true. Pick pocketing happens, but is rare in Vancouver. It really isn't the type of crime that is a concern here.
You mention a bunch of cities, so I chose Oslo. The city itself has the same population, although the metro area is about 1 million smaller.
"The number of reported pickpocketing thefts in a public place was 9,950 in 2014, compared to 17,778 in 2012"
There has NEVER been that issue in Vancouver. If we had 17,778 pick pocket crimes in one year, it surely would have been reported as news. Heck even 9,950 pick pocket crimes would be of a concern here.
Again, it is simply UNTRUE that Vancouver has equal pick pocket crimes. The only time it made the news was as I mentioned before, when a group of EUROPEAN pick pockets were in Vancouver.
In a much larger city than Vancouver, Toronto, there was this.
If pick pockets were so common as you say, do you honestly think that this would make the news? It would be like reporting every bike theft in Amsterdam.
You are the one who said "I still doubt pick pocketing is any worse in Europe, obviously it will vary wildly depending on location but I would imagine the rates between Vancouver and similar sized cities in Europe would be similar. "
This simply isn't true. Pick pocketing happens, but is rare in Vancouver. It really isn't the type of crime that is a concern here.
You mention a bunch of cities, so I chose Oslo. The city itself has the same population, although the metro area is about 1 million smaller.
"The number of reported pickpocketing thefts in a public place was 9,950 in 2014, compared to 17,778 in 2012"
There has NEVER been that issue in Vancouver. If we had 17,778 pick pocket crimes in one year, it surely would have been reported as news. Heck even 9,950 pick pocket crimes would be of a concern here.
Again, it is simply UNTRUE that Vancouver has equal pick pocket crimes. The only time it made the news was as I mentioned before, when a group of EUROPEAN pick pockets were in Vancouver.
In a much larger city than Vancouver, Toronto, there was this.
If pick pockets were so common as you say, do you honestly think that this would make the news? It would be like reporting every bike theft in Amsterdam.
I'm not suggesting pick pocketing is common in Vancouver, I'm saying it's false to claim it's more common 'in Europe', I've never known anybody that's been 'pick pocketed' where I live, never heard of any pick pockets on the news either and I live in Europe. Has anybody ever been pick-pocketed where I live
- well I would be foolish' to think it's never happened but I doubt there is a town/city in the world where it's never happened. Muggings are certainly more 'common' in many North American cities than in many European ones but it undoubtedly varies wildly from city to city, country to country, county to county or state to state, perhaps in some North American cities they don't bother with the sneaky steal but simply point their gun at you and demand your cash instead!?
Yes. More than once. Most in Toronto, but also in Mississauga.
The most “classic” mugging I experienced was in about 2001, walking back from a bar on Queen East, in the South Riverdale neighborhood. Suddenly a young guy was walking with me, asking if I wanted to smoke a joint. I told him to “fire it up,” but then he started talking about crack and I told him to basically **** off. It was around this point we entered an underpass and another guy stepped out and they both demanded my wallet and leather jacket. I refused. They threw me to the ground and started kicking me, but I got up and took off, hopping fences and running through backyards and alleys until I was home.
A couple years later, I became friends with an ex-con living in a local housing project. We used to hang out on his steps and smoke, watch the action in the courtyard. One day, a couple guys show up and I recognize one of them as the main attacker from the attempted mugging. He was the one waiting under the bridge. He didn’t recognize me and I didn’t remind him. A few months later he killed a man just up the street for disrespecting him. Followed him out of a late-night Chinese take-out place and knocked him out with a single punch to the jaw (he was an amateur boxer.) The guy fell to the ground, cracking the back of his skull on the sidewalk and dying right there in front of his hysterical girlfriend. I realized that could have easily been me, and it’s a great example of why you don’t mess around with people you don’t know. You never know who they are and what they’re capable of. Trying to act like a tough guy can be lethal.
Another time I was robbed by a group of young people in a park, late at night. They robbed me and a friend, using two pit bulls as their “weapons.” Another time, I got rushed by about twenty guys in a park as I sat with two friends. They had bats, chains, knives, a two-by-four. We didn’t have any money so they took our coats. It was a frigid winter night.
I was robbed many other times as a teen and young man. I lived a pretty risky life, did a lot of stupid ****, and escaped a lot of bad situations unharmed. However, I did get robbed a few times in different ways. However, it wasn’t by strangers on a street or in a park, like my other examples. It was me being stupid and putting myself in bad situations that I should never have been in.
As for the discussion about pickpocketing in Canada and the US vs. Europe, there isn’t much of that here. At least, not in Toronto. I’m sure it happens in busy tourist spots, where tourists are easy marks. If you get robbed in Toronto, it’s likely going to be someone up in your face, threatening you with a weapon. I always kept a dummy wallet with a $20 and some unimportant cards, a metro pass for the subway. Never had to use it.
I'm not suggesting pick pocketing is common in Vancouver, I'm saying it's false to claim it's more common 'in Europe', I've never known anybody that's been 'pick pocketed' where I live, never heard of any pick pockets on the news either and I live in Europe. Has anybody ever been pick-pocketed where I live
- well I would be foolish' to think it's never happened but I doubt there is a town/city in the world where it's never happened. Muggings are certainly more 'common' in many North American cities than in many European ones but it undoubtedly varies wildly from city to city, country to country, county to county or state to state, perhaps in some North American cities they don't bother with the sneaky steal but simply point their gun at you and demand your cash instead!?
Except, that is exactly what you said. You were so certain that you listed cities that you believed would have less or an equal number of pick pockets than Vancouver. I randomly chose one. Oslo and yikes!!
Last edited by Natnasci; 10-10-2020 at 02:12 PM..
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