4 ms·

I’ve lived in some really crappy places in the US, but the only place I’ve often seen and experienced people committing obvious crimes in broad daylight was Eur

by fiblye 6y ago

I’ve lived in some really crappy places in the US, but the only place I’ve often seen and experienced people committing obvious crimes in broad daylight was Europe. It was pretty weird having someone struggle to unzip my backpack while walking down the street. I bound the zippers with a lock and they couldn’t get in, but I guess they didn’t notice because they really fought to get it open. Seeing obvious pickpockets and scammers operating 10 feet away from police officers while being directly observed was what really blew my mind though. I hear loads of people say they’re disappointed with Europe and the crime is overwhelming these days, but man, they’re not kidding. It’s insane what’s tolerated so openly there. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had valuables stolen randomly while in Western Europe for short periods.

mdorazio 6y ago
I personally think it is influenced by differences in the types of organized crime we have. In the US, gangs and similar organizations generally don't bother with organizing petty crime like swiping electronics. They're more focused on drugs, prostitution, etc. In Europe, though, that's not the case [1]. [1] https://www.europol.europa.eu/crime-areas-and-trends/crime-areas/organised-property-crime https://www.europol.europa.eu/crime-areas-and-trends/crime-a...
- catalogia 6y ago
  I'm quite certain human trafficking and drug smuggling occur in Europe too. https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2017/10/some-6000-people-a-year-in-the-netherlands-are-victims-of-trafficking/ https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2017/10/some-6000-people-a-yea...
ghaff 6y ago
I suppose it could be cultural in some way. One also wonders if it's a reflection of the situation with (especially) urban police departments and maybe gun ownership more broadly. If you know that snatching a laptop or handbag could leave you beaten, tased, or shot that's probably something of a disincentive even for not so bright petty thieves.
- Talanes 6y ago
  The guns could go either way. If someone starts mugging you in the US, there's a very real possibility a gun shows up if you try and fight back.
avar 6y ago
I live in one of those places (Amsterdam). It's because this isn't a practical problem for anyone living there, so why should we care to spend our tax money and police attention on it instead of crime we ourselves are affected by? Pick-pocketing in any of the places mentioned upthread isn't some general city-wide or societal problem. It's narrowly isolated to a few tourist-trap neighborhoods, and even there only then to people who're obvious marks. Such as slow-moving tourists swarming around in groups all wearing backpacks and oblivious to their surroundings. If you look at actual statistics on crime petty theft isn't some rampant issue in these societies.
- fiblye 6y ago
  >If you look at actual statistics on crime petty theft isn't some rampant issue in these societies. How do you gather actual statistics when the locals don't pay attention or care, police see it but take no action, and some of the main victims (tourists) are gone in a few days and don't have the time or language skills to make a report?

by fiblye 6y ago

mdorazio 6y ago

I personally think it is influenced by differences in the types of organized crime we have. In the US, gangs and similar organizations generally don't bother with organizing petty crime like swiping electronics. They're more focused on drugs, prostitution, etc. In Europe, though, that's not the case [1]. [1] https://www.europol.europa.eu/crime-areas-and-trends/crime-areas/organised-property-crime https://www.europol.europa.eu/crime-areas-and-trends/crime-a...

catalogia 6y ago
I'm quite certain human trafficking and drug smuggling occur in Europe too. https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2017/10/some-6000-people-a-year-in-the-netherlands-are-victims-of-trafficking/ https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2017/10/some-6000-people-a-yea...

ghaff 6y ago

I suppose it could be cultural in some way. One also wonders if it's a reflection of the situation with (especially) urban police departments and maybe gun ownership more broadly. If you know that snatching a laptop or handbag could leave you beaten, tased, or shot that's probably something of a disincentive even for not so bright petty thieves.

Talanes 6y ago
The guns could go either way. If someone starts mugging you in the US, there's a very real possibility a gun shows up if you try and fight back.

avar 6y ago

I live in one of those places (Amsterdam). It's because this isn't a practical problem for anyone living there, so why should we care to spend our tax money and police attention on it instead of crime we ourselves are affected by? Pick-pocketing in any of the places mentioned upthread isn't some general city-wide or societal problem. It's narrowly isolated to a few tourist-trap neighborhoods, and even there only then to people who're obvious marks. Such as slow-moving tourists swarming around in groups all wearing backpacks and oblivious to their surroundings. If you look at actual statistics on crime petty theft isn't some rampant issue in these societies.

fiblye 6y ago
>If you look at actual statistics on crime petty theft isn't some rampant issue in these societies. How do you gather actual statistics when the locals don't pay attention or care, police see it but take no action, and some of the main victims (tourists) are gone in a few days and don't have the time or language skills to make a report?