pickpockets

[John Boy]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Sorry to hear about that John Boy. You're right though, I've been visiting Florida for many years and have never had any 'incident' or felt unsafe there, quite the reverse in fact.

Some of the tips for staying safe, wherever you are on holiday, are really simple. If there's a safe provided in your villa or accommodation, then use it. Don't take your entire worldly goods in credit cards and money out with you. If you must take everything out with you, then spread them around other people in your party. Don't take piles of jewellery with you either, far better to leave it at home with someone you can trust to look after it for you. Don't keep your wallet in your back or shirt pocket, get something to keep it in with a zipper to make life difficult for thieves. Carry your handbag on the side away from the road and make sure that you know where your valuables, like cameras, are at all times - wrap the strap around your wrist or hang it around your neck.

Alll that's necessary is to take sensible precautions wherever you're visiting and you should be fine.
[/quote]

Fully agree Blott and very good advice but when this is your home town you tend to forget all the things that you would normaly do as tourist when on holiday

I just got complacent and paid the price!

[lisi]

John Boy
WE holidayed in Javea - what a lovely place. I just never felt threatened or felt the need to take special precautions there, in fact there were few people about wherever we went, but I suppose you just never know who is lurking. I think I am just too trusting, but after my experience on International Drive I think I will be more careful this time and make sure I just use a bum bag. I didn't have much in my bag at all luckily and the guy only took 60 dollars and left the one card I had in my purse. My agent at the villa in Kissimmee was appalled when we came back after the bag snatch and said she had simply never thought to warn anyone to be careful as there had never been any incidents of that nature. Time was when you never had to worry at all - we used to leave our key in the front door of our house so neighbours could just pop in for a cuppa! Not any more[msnoo]
Lisi

[Seminole]

Well, the park setting at Disney and Universal makes it difficult for most thieves to operate. However, outside of the parks you still have to be conscious of your surroundings. Property crimes simply are not publicized in Kissimmee as it is not helpful to the tourist trade. Violent crimes do occur in central Florida, such as the mass murder a couple of weeks ago in a town north of Orlando, but again they tend to be outside the area frequented by tourists.

[MTP]

The owner of the villa that we stay in when we are in Florida told me that one of the times that he was over and the MC didn't know he was there the cleaners arrived to clean the house. Some money that he had on his dresser was taken. Being a policeman he was none too chuffed and you can bet the cleaners were no longer visiting his house!

It is amazing, especially in the Disney parks, the number of times that you see handbags, valuables and cameras left in buggies outside of attractions. But wouldn't Mickey be so dissapointed in you if you did do anything bad!

[John Boy]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lisi
John Boy
WE holidayed in Javea - what a lovely place. I just never felt threatened or felt the need to take special precautions there, in fact there were few people about wherever we went, but I suppose you just never know who is lurking. I think I am just too trusting, but after my experience on International Drive I think I will be more careful this time and make sure I just use a bum bag. I didn't have much in my bag at all luckily and the guy only took 60 dollars and left the one card I had in my purse. My agent at the villa in Kissimmee was appalled when we came back after the bag snatch and said she had simply never thought to warn anyone to be careful as there had never been any incidents of that nature. Time was when you never had to worry at all - we used to leave our key in the front door of our house so neighbours could just pop in for a cuppa! Not any more
Lisi [msnoo]
[/quote]

Hi Lisi

Javea is a beautiful place but I wish I still lived in Florida
Don’t know how long ago that you were here put unfortunately in the last two years theft and violent theft has gone trough the roof. It is said that over 90% of this crime is committed by Eastern Europeans and some Moroccans in fact just yesterday two families staying together in one villa in Moraira (next major town from us) were attacked, both men beaten and held for several hours while the 4 man gang (Eastern Europeans) cleared out the bank accounts and put all the valuables and kids toys!! in the back of their hire car and took off. AND THIS IS WHERE MY WIFE WANTS TO STAY AND BRING UP OUR KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Seminole]

John Boy, crime is becoming a problem everywhere though. In Orlando thugs murdered six people using baseball bats because their ringleader thought one of the victims had stolen a computer game and a pile of clothes belonging to him (she was, instead, keeping them to return to him). A horrendous and senseless crime. The burglary rate on vacation villas in the Disney area continues to rise. The police catch the occasional burglar but it always seems as though the better organized groups seem to escape.

[sunseeker]

its the same in the southeast of England, we have had a lot of crime committed by eastern europeans in the last year or so They take and then they go home.

Dave

[Nostromo]

For the past two years I have got used to the 'waist wallet' in which you can carry money, TCs, Cards, ID, etc. Millets do one which is slim and yet has several compartments for the stuff. It looks very neutral and can be used by either sex. It is also very handy in busy airports etc where you have lots of luggage but need quick access to your travel documents.

I found this particularly useful on our recent trip to Orlando.

[ujpest doza]

Never felt threatened in Florida, but i do leave my windows open all day in England without (up to now) any problems. Our yappy dog would create enough noise to wake the dead if anyone broke in.

We have had silly things happen though. Our garden shed got broke into a few times. The first time they got our decent garden tools, barbecue, lawn mower etc. The second time they got a broken microwave (why else would it be in the shed) and not much else except they cut down our empty washing line and took that!

We recently had to replace 2 radiators that had both sprung a leak.
I left them up against our front garden wall and was going to call the local council special refuse collections dept to have them removed. No need, i got up the next morning and they had been stolen!! Presumably they have a s c r a p metal value?

[cjboatman]

On our last visit to Orlando i left my wallet containing money and credit cards, and a couple of DVD's in the hire car. Realised as soon as i waslked through the gates into the international departure lounge. Even thought only ten minutes had passed, when the car was checked, the wallet and DVD's were missing.

Another great tip is to photocopy your passport, drivers licence, credit cards and receipt for travellers cheques and keep them all seperate. Then if anything goes missing, you have copies of all the numbers whcih makes obtaining replacements much easier.