LONDON -- Well, it happened. After hearing story after story from my friends who have studied abroad, advice from countless others, and thoughts about how careful I was being, I was pick pocketed, or as the Brits say, "dipped".
Brittany and I were traveling on the tube home from filming a few tea shops Saturday morning in Covent Gardens. My card holder with my oyster tube card, Visa Debit card, and US Drivers License was stuffed into what I thought was an inaccessible pocket of my camera bag. I have traveled all over the world with never one problem. This time, I was clearly out maneuvered. Reaching for the holder as we tried to exit the station proved the fact that anyone, and I really do mean anyone, can be "dipped".
According to Gary Wilment, Zone 1 Station Supervisor for the London Underground, there were more than 40 other incidents of theft Saturday morning at Russell Square Station. "There is a group of maybe 5 or 6 men who usually are involved in all the thefts, especially at Russell Square and Covent Gardens stations," Wilment said. "The lifts are usually where it happens."
When I arrived back at our dorm room, there had already been one fraudulent charge before I had a chance to cancel my card. My parents back in the states scrambled to wire me money, as without my card I had maybe 10 pounds to my name. I was only thankful that my passport had been safely tucked away in my room and not in the same bag.
The most absurd part about the experience was I never thought it would be me. I am extremely careful about where I place my important belongings and money, and have traveled to many more places where I would expect to be targeted more than I was here in London (I traveled to Chengdu, China in December 2013 where I was the only blonde). Just one moment of not paying close enough attention to my surroundings left me vulnerable.
No comments:
Post a Comment