Jump to content

Mugged in Paris Metro...


Recommended Posts

My wife and I will be making our first visit to central Paris this year. We had planned to travel about the capital on the Metro, but today I was told, by a regular visitor to Paris, why he and his wife never use the Metro.

He said they had arrived in Paris at Gare de Nord and were walking into the Metro when a rough looking woman tried to grab his wife's handbag. She fought the woman off, who then ran to join three other rough looking women. My two friends made their way down to a platform and just as they were walking towards a train, the four women attacked them, trying to grab the handbag again and also get into the man's back pockets. This was foolish on their part as he head-butted one of them, kicked a second, then swung out but missed a third. The four women then ran off. 

Now, for any doubters who read this, my friend is an honest and reliable person who is not prone to exaggeration, so I fully believe his story.

My questions are, has anybody heard of this type of incident before, and is the Paris Metro a place to be avoided?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have travelled many times through and in Paris, using the métro and buses and I have never ever been mugged or seen anyone being mugged.

I am not saying it doesn't happen, but so far, it hasn't in my sight or presence.

I avoid carrying a bag over my shoulder anyway, and if I do, it is across my chest and under my jacket or coat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Mel"]

My questions are, has anybody heard of this type of incident before, and is the Paris Metro a place to be avoided?  

[/quote]

Is this post a wind-up?

The Paris Metro is used by millions everyday. Avoid it if you wish - more space for the users - but I really can't take your post seriously; fortunately, BaF does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did they twinks !![;-)]

Mugging can take place anywhere at any time .......... Im sure busy places are just as prone as others , I was in a underground carpark in Nabonne last year . Looking for a pay machine while my husband sorted our stuff away into the boot that we wernt taking out with us. Beside the pay machine was a rough gypsy looking woman, she asked me for money, when I said no she tryed to snatch the coins out of my hand, ( if i had had a purse she would of got it as she was very fast), she had hold of my arm which held the coins so I just started screaming and shouting, as soon as she saw my husband she ran. needless to say we moved our car to a different open air carpark. I later saw the same woman with a group waiting out side of toilets for tourist to go in. I tried to tell the carpark attendant but he wasnt bothered or didnt understand me.[:(]  

Edit : My tip is to never use a handbag in strange places , I always use a money belt , which makes me look pregnant but at least its safer. My hand bag bites anyhow so Id like to see some one try to take it !![:)]    

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According, to a Parisian couple I know who live in a smart residential area of central Paris, street crime has become a lot worse in the last two years. The subject came up as the wife was mugged outside their apartment recently and the husband said you now have to be a lot more careful walking around Paris at night and using the Metro.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of years back the young adolescent son of a local friend travelled across Paris via the Metro to see his father. He slung his holdall round in front of him and a woman accused him of assault with his bag for which he was arrested at the next stop, taken to a cell for 24hrs until his father got him freed after a lot of discussions. Never again has he or will he use the metro as people and their attitudes are changing for the worse he feels.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few years ago, on a rugby trip, we went to an international match at the Stade France.

One of of our members was separated from his wallet at the Gare de Nord.

Unfortunately, for the pickpocket there were fifteen rugby players behind the victim, who had seen what had happened.

He was ushered to one side and after a little persuasion he gave the wallet back .

As we alighted the Metro the Samu were tucking him nicely onto a stretcher and taking him to the nearest hospital.

The moral of this story is travel in numbers or travel with people that are as hard as nails and can give instant justice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Mel"]

My wife and I will be making our first visit to central Paris this year. We had planned to travel about the capital on the Metro, but today I was told, by a regular visitor to Paris, why he and his wife never use the Metro.

He said they had arrived in Paris at Gare de Nord and were walking into the Metro when a rough looking woman tried to grab his wife's handbag. She fought the woman off, who then ran to join three other rough looking women. My two friends made their way down to a platform and just as they were walking towards a train, the four women attacked them, trying to grab the handbag again and also get into the man's back pockets. This was foolish on their part as he head-butted one of them, kicked a second, then swung out but missed a third. The four women then ran off. 

Now, for any doubters who read this, my friend is an honest and reliable person who is not prone to exaggeration, so I fully believe his story.

My questions are, has anybody heard of this type of incident before, and is the Paris Metro a place to be avoided?  

[/quote]

 

Hi Mel , if you believe your friend, why bother making this post!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only time I have had my purse snatched was in Madris near the plaza de sol. I stupidly had my bad slung over my shoulder. I have traveled the NY metro, the Paris metro, the London underground and I would say that the risks are the same. If you are paranoide don't leave home otherwise just take care.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

LanguedocGal - is the post serious? I might ask the same of your reply...

LEO - I thought the reason I asked the question is quite obvious. As I mentioned, I have never been to Paris before and wanted to know if this is a common occurence as opposed to a one-off incident. What better way of doing that, than to ask the question on here? 

Walking Into The Wall

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen muggings taking place in London and a poor unfortunate wielding a knife tried to mug me at Charing Cross station as I was heading for the tube.  Didn't stop me going up to London or using the tube every day for work.

The moral for anything like this is be aware and minimise risk, not to avoid using a generally safe mode of transport.  Your chums could get mugged on the street but statistically, probably have more chance of being mown down by some crazed Parisian driver than being mugged - assess the risk and ensure you don't put yourself in dangerous situations.

Voila!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Muggings and any sort of attacks on persons can happen anywhere and are not just the product of a large city or town with thousands of people living there. You are as much at risk in your own village in France as in the metro and if you are brave like my son,you punch the attacker on the nose and he runs away howling in pain but who knows if it is even safe to do that with all the knives about these days.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done to your son Val [:D] I was mugged in Gateshead, struggled to hold onto my shoulder bag, strap broke and the lad fell back onto the ground. I still regret not kicking him in the g******s . There was next to nothing in the bag as I'd been robbed once before and from then on kept all valuables in a belt/purse.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I rather think I am not very likely to be robbed in my little village. I, too, fail to understand this post. It was bound to get responses varying from never mugged, have been mugged, had my pocket picked, never had any problems and so on. If you avoid a place because you know someone who's been a victim of crime there you'd never go anywhere - except my little village.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When visiting Paris last summer via TGV to Montparnasse and collecting daughter and granddaughter at Gare du Nord, we found that the tickets bought for the Metro at St.Malo ticket office[to save time] didn't work in the Metro entry machines. Several people tried to help before the ticket office changed the whole lot for us. We stayed at a Campanile in St.Denis. Not knowing Paris at all we just asked for a Hotel near to the Cirque de Soliel. The Receptionist at the hotel warned us about travelling on the Metro and not to carry mobile phones/bags etc unless well secured. A bit of a shock. However, where ever we went we only had friendly help and assistance including the St.Denis market/ Metro/Stations etc, and may I respectfully add that virtually all were not white. Never saw any problems and that was over the Bastille day  and weekend.By the way ,we walked back to the Hotel at night after the show,past the Stad de France.

Nowadays a bit of common sense helps.

Regards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pulling My Hair Out

Of course Plod, there are many little villages that are very safe - I live in one in the UK. And of course muggings can, and do, happen anywhere. However, conversely to the villages that are havens of safety, there are places that are best avoided. All I ever asked was, in general, are muggings common on the Paris Metro and, if they are, should I avoid using it... (forewarned is forearmed).

To those of you who read the question - thanks!

Bang Your Head

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About 18 months ago, I read in the UK press that Gare du Nord was the "most dangerous place in Europe", followed closely by Barcelona Mainline station.

I've visited GdN loads and never felt threatened, never had any problems, despite being there alone at all hours of the day. And I'm NOT a big bloke.

Having said that, I watched a couple of blokes target my wife and my friend's wife once at an outdoor show near the pope's palace in Avignon.

I walked over to her, removed her, and her friend's bags and walked back, grinning at the two blokes. I got some VERY nasty "hard stares" but that was all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first time our youngest son came to see us in France (then 20 and his first time in France) he had his wallet pickpocketed at Gard de Nord first thing in the morning. Luckily he had his passport and train ticket to Brive in another pocket so could get to us. However he had no money, no credit cards, no contact phone numbers - all were in his wallet - so couldn't eat or drink all day and didn't know how to phone us either, and said he felt very vunerable. Poor lad was so pleased to see his mum (me) when he arrive that evening he very nearly burst into tears . 







Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only theft we have had to contend with was my wife had her handbag stolen on Brittany Ferries. They refused to say a bag had been stolen  but did give us help as car /house keysplus of course money building society books etc etc were all in the bag. They had to take my wife to daughters house to get spare house key to get into our house to get spare car keys. I had to stay on ferry and they said if my wife didn't get back in 15 minutes the car was going back to France. I spent all Sunday changing 5 exterior safety door locks as at the time I worked away all week. Getting the building society books re-instated was an adventure plus high blood pressure in itself.

Regards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would have thought the better and more relevant question

would be “which parts/areas to avoid ?”. 

I don’t know Paris but is expect it is like virtually every other city

in the world – some areas are fine, other areas best avoided (depending of what

you are looking for of course).

Ian
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...