[Idyllchat] Thievery and Scams in Prague

[GRAYGOOSE at aol.com]

Though we were on a Prague Untour in 1998 I am sure the following  actions 
are still taking place.
 
We experienced 3 attempts to get our money and each time the perpetrators  
were foiled!
 
The first happened one afternoon on the "tourist" tram (have forgotten the  
#). As we stood up to exit a woman stepped in front of me and separated me from 
 my husband, Joe.  The way she was pushing me back alerted me to the fact  
that she was purposely trying to keep me away from him. I spoke out to Joe to  
warn him but he was already aware of what was going on. At the front of the  
tram a man with a suitcase jostled him but Joe, realizing what was happening,  
elbowed the guy where he would least wish to be elbowed which ended that  
attempt. We exited the tram and saw the two walking swiftly  together ahead of us. 
One, I am sure, in pain.
 
The second time was in the evening as we departed from the same tram. It  was 
a crowded tram at the time and we separated. I found a seat but Joe did not.  
He exited the tram before I did and waited for me. I could see what was  
happening from the tram window. A woman "reading" a newspaper sidled up to Joe  
from the rear and tried to extract his wallet from his back pocket. Foiled  
again! All she got was a packet of Kleenex and as she had been "discovered" by  
this act she rapidly disappeared into the crowd. We both got a chuckle out  of 
it as it seemed funny to be able to outwit the thieves.
 
The 3rd time I believe is a good lesson for all to be aware of. It  probably 
occurs anywhere else in Europe. The story is rather a lengthy one but a  good 
warning to all.
 
On the Untour to Prague we were not warned about the "Tourist police" so we  
were "caught" so to speak. 
Fortunately, nothing came of it.

We were  approached by an "Italian" late one afternoon who had a map in his 
hand. He  asked me if I could help him determine his location on the map. 
Silly 
me,  always ready to help a fellow traveler in need! I pointed out on the map 
 
where he was and the first thing we knew a "policeman" with a badge  
approached us identifying himself as a plainclothes man with the Prague  
police and flashed an official looking ID card. He asked if we had exchanged  
American money with the other tourist to which we answered "No". He then  
asked how much money the tourist had on him. When he exposed his wallet  
there 
appeared to be quite a few American $100 bills. "You seem to be very  rich", 
the policeman said. The tourist just shrugged his shoulders. Then he  asked 
us 
to show him how much American money we had on us. Between my  husband and 
myself we had $10. That did not seem to interest him. The next  question 
was,"I must see your passport". At that point I flashed a COPY of  the one I 
carried of my husband's and he told them his original passport and  mine were 
back at our lodging. I guess we had nothing they could get to  first base 
with 
and he let us go on with a stern warning about " American's  being targets 
for 
crooks". It was later that it finally dawned on us that  the two were in 
cahoots and they picked on a couple of wise folks who  carried no American 
money or original passports with them. While we were  stupid enough to fall 
for their attempt we were wise enough to leave all the  valuables hidden at 
the apartment, which we felt very secure  about.

Moral of the story....Answer no direct questions asked by  strangers on the 
street, carry COPIES of each others passports and little or  no American cash.
 
Nina




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