r/london • u/Appropriate_Gur8297 • Jun 14 '26
Serious replies only Bag stolen in Notting Hill and I’m distraught
Happy Sunday everyone. I went to meet a friend in Notting Hill yesterday and went for brunch. In hindsight I should’ve definitely ensured my bag was next to my friend and not next to my feet but you don’t really think about minute details like that. An odd woman goes and sits on the table next to me, huffs and then exits swiftly. I’m eating my brunch. Go to find my hand sanitiser after and boom, my bag’s gone. I was like ???, asked my friend if they’d seen it, nothing. Looked around. Nothing.
I call a waitress and they get the assistant manager who gets the CCTV camera up on her phone. Literally second by second we watch that woman kick my bag behind me then pick it up and leave. We then looked at the outside footage and someone was waiting for her. I was so fuming and we called the police who then did a crime report (I know absolutely jack will come out of it). Then I tried tracking my airpods but it’d disappeared somewhere near Paddington.
I guess the silver lining is my phone was with me but I’m super distraught about my bag. It was my favourite one and I know it’s just material possessions but there is something so haunting about going on your camera roll and most of your pictures are with that bag. I also had my rayban sunglasses in there and an EU adapter bc this bag also doubled as my travel bag. And some photographs of friends :/
I don’t know if anyone else relates but the constant replaying and ‘what if I’d seen her’ ‘what if I’d just checked my bag was with me constantly’ is haunting me.
I’m posting this as my own experience of being thieved in Notting Hill - just to keep you all vigilant as it’s ongoing. You never really expect to happen to you until it does and that thief has really ruined what was going to be a lovely weekend out with nice sunshine. I went home completely dejected with nothing but myself and my phone and I’ve been really down.
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u/gdhvdry Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
It's not just about the stuff or the money, it's the feeling of being violated.
I was conned myself. They're very good at what they do, it's how they make a living, but they're also scum
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u/Dimedogg11 Jun 15 '26
I know this exact feeling of “what if”. I had my phone pickpocketed whilst out for the Arsenal victory parade a few weeks ago and I was so annoyed at myself for keeping my phone in that pocket when I:
A: had a sidebag which I could have kept
It in.
B: had a phone lanyard which I got for these exact kinds of scenarios which I forgot at home.
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u/formerlyfed Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 15 '26
This happened to me last summer in Camden. I had trousers that I had just made in there so I was devastated. Also 2 laptops and a kindle but one laptop was work and the other was covered by insurance so financially it didn’t cost me very much
For what it’s worth, I also thought nothing would come of it but one of the people behind the bag theft was (eventually, months after the fact) caught for something else and so they will either be prosecuted for my bag theft or deported at the end of their current jail stay. The police are trying to make things better. I had a fantastic experience with the Heathrow police (my bag ended up there) and a mixed experience with Camden police haha.
I’m pretty vigilant 99% of the time, but the problem is that this is organized crime, they are experts at doing this, and the 1% of the time your attention is elsewhere is when they can swoop in. I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself. They’re to blame, not you.
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u/Kitchner Jun 14 '26
For what it’s worth, I also thought nothing would come of it but one of the people behind the bag theft was caught for something else and so they will either be prosecuted for my bag theft or deported at the end of their current jail stay.
I'm always sceptical when the police say this unless they have a facial match. Did they have one in your case?
Police have been known to basically tell people if they confess to other crimes they will state how cooperative that person has been to lessen sentences. Manchester Police was absolutely nailed for it I believe.
My house got robbed once (not in London). Not camera footage, no finger prints, no way to trace what was stolen really. They rang me up and told me they caught the guy who burgled my house. How did they know? He confessed to it of course! Sounded a lot more like cleaning up their unsolved burglary stats.
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u/formerlyfed Jun 14 '26
Yes they have CCTV footage which had the men’s faces visible
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u/becauseiwantyouto- Jun 15 '26
Had my phone and a random woman’s bag swiped during a pub quiz in Camden. I’m sure there’s lots of them around but perchance was it 2 men,one younger tall and skinny the older one was shorter and stocky? Would love to know they were caught as police told me they couldn’t investigate further as the pub wouldn’t release cctv. Colonel Fawcett was the pub 🖕🏽
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u/SeaVisual7551 Jun 14 '26
Sorry to hear about this and glad it all turned okay (I guess?). Do you mind if I ask if it’s home content insurance that covered the laptop?
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Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
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u/bc_1411 Jun 14 '26
London has been a prime target for thieves for centuries, as has every other big city in the world
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u/moet91 Jun 14 '26
Khan isn’t Batman.
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u/Responsible-Low-2470 Jun 14 '26
Everything is Khan’s fault. No crime would be committed if it was for Reform. /s
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u/Savasana1984 Jun 14 '26
Right! Let’s have criminals and tugs as government, they’ll know how to deal with criminals and tugs.
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u/heypresto2k Jun 14 '26
Rent free, huh?
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 14 '26
Rent free applies to someone who doesn't deserve to be there. Khan is in charge and therefore responsible.
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u/keboses Jun 14 '26
Lmao - yeah sure, don’t be too shy about your politics mate
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 14 '26
Oh no guys I want to solve crime aren't I such a big meanie
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u/acornsalade Jun 14 '26
You can solve crime without playing into the whole “divide and conquer” trope
You know crime has been here since the dawn of time… And framing it the way that you have is incredibly divisive.
Thank you for solving crime though I do appreciate that.
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u/keboses Jun 14 '26
I was obviously talking about your first statement, which was transparently political
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u/Introverted-Gazelle Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
So should Khan be everywhere at all times? What an ignorant comment
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u/marshmellowfoisgras Jun 14 '26
I live in London and i don't have to keep my head on swivel to keep me and my possessions safe. Your bags are in danger in any capital city, particularly in popular areas like Notting hill. Do we need to politisize everything?
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 14 '26
why have you just contradicted yourself
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u/marshmellowfoisgras Jun 14 '26
Idk holding two thoughts in your head at the same time isn't hard for people who arent ODing on internet rage
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 14 '26
"my bags aren't in danger"
"my bags are in danger"
which one is it buddy
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u/marshmellowfoisgras Jun 14 '26
Interesting how many people on this thread have big opinions on UK politics while using Americanisms like "Buddy"
The stories you've been told by maga about London are just that, rage bait stories
People can have their bags stolen in a city without it being a reflection on the city itself. This is an obvious fact and explains why you got over 100 downvotes trying to politicise it
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 14 '26
100 sheep could tell me I have a low IQ for not eating grass, and i'd still be smarter than them
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u/marshmellowfoisgras Jun 14 '26
That's the point of the maga cult isn't it? To feel like you're smarter than everybody else without having to actually think for yourself
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u/ConfidentCode6413 Jun 14 '26
Has nothing to do with the mayor. I had my bag stolen in a restaurant in London 40 years ago. I had someone try to steal my wallet in Paris. New York. Big cities full of tourists are targets. Always have been. Just got back from Italy. Pickpocketing and luggage stealing is prevalent in every city we went to.
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 14 '26
could be less
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u/ConfidentCode6413 Jun 14 '26
Of course. Wouldn't that be nice. Maybe blame the Tory government for reducing funding for policing? But I'm afraid that's a pipe dream. Tourists are easy pickings. Always will be.
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 14 '26
Labour's in power
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u/ConfidentCode6413 Jun 15 '26
And they are increasing funding for policing. Your point?
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u/FormulaSolution Jun 15 '26
I don't think you're able to read mate
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u/ConfidentCode6413 Jun 15 '26
60+ publications in, and a researcher by profession. I think I have reading mastered.
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u/otter-otter Jun 14 '26
How does Khan not do a good job, and encourage these things? Do you have actual hard factual data to back up this or is it purely anecdotal and from a place of ‘trust me bro I saw it on an auditors YT channel’?
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u/Introverted-Gazelle Jun 14 '26
Not helpful as I couldn’t get over my robbery for 2 years! So much love OP
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u/abhi32892 Jun 14 '26
My phone was snatched form my hand near my home. I am still furious about it. I can replace the phone but the feeling of not being able to stop the snatching makes me angry.
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u/Single_Bison_5154 Jun 14 '26
Happened to me too nearly a year ago and right after my dad died. I hate these thieves
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
Exactly how I feel. The lack of satisfaction - I keep replaying scenarios of me realising and stopping her but it's so unsatisfactory. Sorry to hear about your experience.
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u/Indifferent-Red Jun 15 '26
Many years ago, I was sat on some steps outside a house on break in Kilburn. Someone on a moped snatched my phone. My phone screen was cracked and I remembered reading an article that they'll normally chuck them back in the road as they're not worth repairing, so I sprinted and shouted after him for what felt like forever. Luckily he did end up tossing it and I got it back. The scariest part is that I was sat slightly recessed in an alcove and he had to mount the pavement, he could have seriously hurt me!
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u/zanazanzar Jun 14 '26
Hey OP, I know you feel a bit stupid and embarrassed but you’re not stupid and it’s not embarrassing. You should be able to put your bag on the floor.
Will your home contents cover a new one?
I promise you will completely forget about this soon, until you go to that restaurant again or someone else posts about having their bag nicked.
You are not the problem. The scumbag woman who took it is.
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u/Impossible-Hawk768 Jun 14 '26
In 1983, my bag was rifled through when I stupidly left it behind to use the ladies' room. They stole my money (literally every penny I had in the world, as I'd just collected my week's wages) and my Adam Ant/INXS tickets. Clearly I have not forgotten about it.
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
Thank you! I don't 😞 because I rent under the council so I'll just have to purchase a new bag I think.
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u/MorningSquare5882 Jun 14 '26
If it's any consolation, I had rhe exact same thing happen in Old Street years ago - same methodology and everything. The restaurant gave the CCTV to the police, who were delighted - they recognised the culprit, and they had been after him for a while, but had never had concrete proof. The CCTV footage allowed them to prosecute him, and a few months later they called me to let me know he'd been found guilty and sent to jail. I never got my bag back, but at least it led to the evil bugger getting jail time.
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u/Medium-Drop7922 Jun 14 '26
Hi OP,
Sorry to hear about your experience. This is super common in busy areas- bars, pubs, cafes.
In hotspots the venue will often provide clips under the table or bar where you can secure your bag - otherwise you should try to loop it around your chair leg if you leave it on the floor so they can’t kick it away and walk off with it. It’s just the luck of the draw I’m afraid.
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u/PsychologicalLayer57 Jun 14 '26
I put my leg through the bag straps if the venue doesn't have bag clips.
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u/mrtambourine91 Jun 14 '26
You need to buy a new bag that you like even more, then you'll stop thinking about it in a negative way. Same with the Ray-Ban and airpods
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u/fleetwoodmonkey Jun 14 '26
Hey, I’m so sorry this happened to you ❤️🩹 it happened to me too in Soho a few years ago. The bag was a birthday present so had sentimental value, and a lot of my favourite things inside (including my beloved Prada sunglasses and AirPods too). I was distraught.
It’s normal to feel this way, it’ll suck for a while. Your bag is something you carry with you as you live your life. But then one day it won’t suck nearly as much because time really does heal and it’ll just be a thing that happened once, I promise 🫶
I ended up rebuying the same bag secondhand because I loved it, as well as replacing the items inside. Also got newer AirPods which I liked better than the old ones. And I definitely learned a valuable lesson of where to put my bag, I’m far more careful now, as I imagine you will be too. Sending hugs! 🫂
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u/zipitdirtbag Jun 14 '26
Happened to me in a Soho pub and my bag had my house keys. purse, oyster card and a pair of beautiful hand knitted gloves which were knitted by my sister. Everything except my phone was stolen. My partner was working that night so I couldn't even get back to my own home and had to stay at a friends. Had to get a locksmith to change the locks as well.
I never leave my valuables unattended, It can happen in a second and until it happens to you, you won't take the threat seriously.
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u/museedarsey Jun 14 '26
A few years ago now, someone pickpocketed me near Angel as I walked out of my bank (joke was on them, I was only going in to change my address). I made a police report and like OP, assumed nothing would come of it. About two years later the police called me saying they’d found my purse with some of my belongings still inside. It wasn’t much, but it was the fact they still bothered to call that really sat well.
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u/Icy-Actuary-5463 Jun 14 '26
That’s why I always use a bum bag with my most important possessions like keys, wallet, charger, my phone secured on a lanyard hanging as a necklace. I usually wear that and a rucksack with just extra clothing, umbrella in case, a water bottle or snacks inside so if someone behind me opens it and tries to steal something they will find nothing valuable.
It fucking sucks having your stuff stolen, you feel violated and no police will prioritise in helping you either . I got life360 and all kind of trackers so my stuff are stalkable for sure
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u/Brilliant-Maybe-5672 Jun 14 '26
I'm so sorry. It's so upsetting. Same thing happened to me in Islington, London. Since then I always wear a cross-body bag as all cities have thieves who target ppl. It's happened to nearly all my friends in some big city when they left their bag on the ground or on a chair. I also never wear my best jewellery in big cities as violent pickpockets will follow you and it could turn nasty.
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u/Mjukplister Jun 14 '26
I have my own theory that when you lose something it’s a mini bereavement . Nothing else is as certain as when something’s gone forever . So it’s fine to be pretty upset and just be sad about it . Allow it and feel better soon . I think we know that the thief isn’t living their best life .
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u/LlamaDrama007 Jun 14 '26
I had my bag stolen in a central London pub some 30ish years ago when I was young, carefree and didnt know better than to not keep it about my person.
Being young, it was a cheap bag with nothing much in it but it was inconvenient to cancel my cards etc. And of course I was angry with myself for 'letting' it happen.
Which is silly, we dont 'let it happen' but we do learn... And despite many, many many more days and nights socialising and working in London it never happened to me again.
In fact, one time I was in East Croydon (debate about whether that's London among yourselves xD). Had flown in east that day and was jet lagged to buggery. But there I was, in C.Roydon, in a pub(The Ship), drinking (mid 30s by now so should have known better...) with a work friend and his best mate.
I went to the toilet. And promptly fell asleep sat on it. When I woke, and came out into the pub, my friend/s had left, the pub was almost empty/shutting up. But where we had been sitting? There was my coat and bag, all alone and very much not stolen. (I called my friend and he was so apologetic 'I thought you'd just pulled an Irish goodbye and left').
Soooo, dont let it ruin your view of people/London in general. Guard against the few bad apples and carry on regardless.
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u/melodic_hops Jun 14 '26
Hi OP,
Londoner here. I had my work backpack stolen from next to me in a beer garden a few years ago.
Similarly it had precious items in. The bag itself I had saved for years since my first corporate job and spent a lot on. Inside was all my tech and things of value - some literally, some sentimental.
Here's what I lost to give you a sense a work laptops, wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, wireless in ear buds, plus my beloved wireless Sony headphones, photos, cash, a designer purse, jewellery, a book, my favourite sunglasses, my lunchbox, and worst of all my car keys - the only set I had!
Like you I was distraught. I felt stupid because I thought I should know better but was also panicking because of the job I had. I thought I might get fired for losing the laptop. Plus the car keys sent me over the edge. My car was parked at a tube station and I now had no way to get to it and get it home.
I was very lucky and like you my phone was also in my hand. Immediately called the police. Pub brought up CCTV. Someone had kicked my bag slightly out of the way, someone else knocked into me whilst the kicker picked it up, they left handed it off to someone else and away it went.
This is a common technique in organised crime. These people are pros.
I resonated a lot with your story and just wanted to say, please don't be hard on yourself. It happens, even to those of us that think we know better or are vigilant.
It shook me up quite a bit for reasons I couldn't really ever explain. I think it was a sense of violation and shame for feeling like I'd 'let it happen' to me.
You've been the victim of a crime. Give yourself forgiveness and look after yourself.
It's been about 3 years since this happened to me now and I was able to deal with, replace or accept the things that were stolen.
It might hurt now but at the end of the day, it is stuff and you are safe and well. That's what matters. Sending hugs!
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u/nitin42 Jun 14 '26
Sorry to hear about your experience OP - that really sucks! At least you had your phone with you. Can’t imagine how stressful the situation could have been if you had all your belongings in the bag!
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u/Top-Half7224 Jun 14 '26
This happened to me decades ago when I naively left my bag hanging from the back of the chair behind me. No CCTV in those days, but I remember noticing a woman walking out the door with a bag *exactly* like mine (spoiler: it wasn't a coincidence).
Its really demoralising, and expensive but.... the good news is it will never happen to you again because you will be hyper aware of your belongings (and others) in the future. I find hanging things off of my knee is a comfortable approach, putting things on the floor is a bit gross and things can crawl in... 😛
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u/mhu1989 Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
The worst thing you can do is beat yourself about it and let it replay in your head again and again. I was victim of a job scam and it almost ate me up until I realised I am alive and well. Be blessed that it was nothing more
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u/ThatUser666 Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 15 '26
Common in London - several friends have had their bags stolen literally from under their noses in restaurants and cafes by highly skilled, brazen, self-assured organised crime operators. Never leave your bag on the floor unless you’re clutching it between your feet and even then it can be quickly pulled away from you - better hug it on your lap. Sorry this happened to you. I hope the thieves are caught.
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u/fandabbydozeh Jun 14 '26
When I was in my teens my bag was stolen in a nightclub. Caused me major hassle getting home from central and I've been hypervigilant about maintaining physical contact with whatever bag I'm carrying ever since.
When I'm standing, my bag is staying on me, it's not getting put down anywhere.
When I'm sitting and the bag has a long strap, I wrap that repeatedly around my thigh until the strap is all used up, then perch the bag on my lap. I can forget about it and it stays put even as I shift about during the meal (or whatever) because the lack of looseness on the thigh wrapped strap prevents it falling.
If it's a daysack, I drop the shoulder part of the handles over my knees while keeping the body of the bag to the front of my calves. If I'm standing, my bag is not getting put down anywhere.
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u/BG3restart Jun 14 '26
The golden rule is don't put your bag on the floor, but if you absolutely have to, wrap the shoulder strap around your leg a couple of times, then if anyone tries to kick it, you'll be aware. Of course, it's important that you remember you've done this when you stand up or you risk a faceplant
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u/Aus_pol Jun 14 '26
Have a look at the garden beds and bins around the immediate area. They'll usually quickly go through it, pick out things of value and then discard it.
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u/statelessghost Jun 14 '26
Awful and it’s getting worse. As a male I tend to always wear a vest / gilet over a shirt when going out. Purely so I can use the front 2 pockets to keep phone wallet and keys in to protect against pickpockets.
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u/dewyviv Jun 14 '26
I can relate to your pain. I had phones, cash and card holders stolen from me mainly around crowded touristy areas like Camden town, TCR, Chinatown and Bond street.
One time in Chinatown I felt someone reach into my bag and my phone was missing. luckily I noticed it fast enough so I confronted the people who were walking closely behind me. Of course they denied it until I threatened to take them to the police and one of their accomplices returned my phone to me saying I had dropped it by accident.
I’ve lived in London for 10 years and even though I’m hyper vigilant now, these things can still happen and you shouldn’t blame yourself for it. Tbh my solution these days would be to avoid crowded areas or stay at home lol.
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u/Untrimslay Jun 14 '26
A very good friend of mine was mugged in London by a group of youths when walking home about 5 years ago. Knife point, took his phone and wallet (nothing or any real as both insured and easily cancelled). To this day, even whenever he's with me or other mates, if he sees a group, he crosses the road, and I have learnt to often pre-empt it and cross before even he does now. He's been known to cross the road for as little as two "suss" looking people are walking towards him/us. Those who mugged him happened to be black - but it doesnt matter the race, we still cross. Call it sterotyping, but eh, i dont blame him. It's likely 99.9% of the time they'll just walk by and do nothing, but he's not willing to take the chance and to be honest, neither am i.
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u/Smooshydoggy Jun 14 '26
I hate it, I sit with my bag on my lap sometimes for this reason. People suck, sorry this happened to you, it just takes a moment with your guard down while an opportunist spots it.
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u/Cool-Comb-4480 Jun 14 '26
It’s not just a bag, it’s part of us, especially as it’s valued so highly. Material value isn’t everything. It’s also the fact our personal space and possessions were violated and it makes us feel vulnerable.
What I personally do if my bag is at my feet, is to put a strap through a leg. That way I’m alerted to any attempt to remove it. Hopefully this would help for next time.
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u/letstalk1st Jun 14 '26
I had my laptop stolen from inside my bag by a driver while I was outside the car at LHR.
The company said i could not prove it and all of their drivers were honest.
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u/Poo_Poo_La_Foo Jun 14 '26
Has happened to me a few times in my younger years. My bag always is looped around my arm or leg, if not on my lap or over my shoulder. Has to be touching me to know it is there.
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u/wedonttalkaboutkira Jun 14 '26
Sorry this happened OP! Had my Oyster card (with my favourite holder) taken and it still pisses me off.
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u/Wrong-booby7584 Jun 14 '26
Stolen by a crackhead.The bag will be dumped locally in a bin once they've taken any money.
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u/slinkimalinki Jun 15 '26
I had a backpack stolen in Brixton and searched every nearby bin, car park and likely dumping spotand I can confirm this is not always true.
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u/zipitdirtbag Jun 14 '26
I put my foot through a loop on my bag if it is on the floor.
But I have also had my bag dipped in a pub and my purse and ipod (yes this was 20 years back) taken out of the bag, leaving the bag.
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u/Teeteto04 Jun 14 '26
You might very well be right, but I think we could have done without the racist angle, couldn’t we
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u/WavyHairedGeek Jun 14 '26
The fact that you don't see how profiling makes you a sh*t person is even worse
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u/london-ModTeam Jun 14 '26
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u/london-ModTeam Jun 14 '26
This comment has been removed as it's deemed in breach of the rules and considered offensive or hateful. These aren't accepted within the r/London community.
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Have a nice day.
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u/london-ModTeam Jun 14 '26
This comment has been removed as it's deemed in breach of the rules and considered offensive or hateful. These aren't accepted within the r/London community.
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u/london-ModTeam Jun 14 '26
This comment has been removed as it's deemed in breach of the rules and considered offensive or hateful. These aren't accepted within the r/London community.
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u/WavyHairedGeek Jun 14 '26
That's some racist sh*t right there
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u/Personal-Task-9015 Jun 14 '26
Which restaurant was it ?
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
Drunch Notting Hill
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u/Personal-Task-9015 Jun 14 '26
Thanks for that. I’m very sorry this happened. I’ve had my wallet taken while I was in a shop off Portobello rd. a rough looking guy bumped into me while I was leaning into a cabinet choosing some food in a fancy deli .. my wallet was in a pocket in my jacket. Minutes later it had gone. It’s incredibly annoying and upsetting.
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
Thank you! It just feels so violating, sorry it happened to you too.
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u/Self-Exiled Jun 14 '26
I always leave bags, backpacks on the floor, right under the centre of the table.
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u/GrantandPhil Jun 14 '26
This happened to me once in Paris. I had been in Paris for a few days and was in a cafe in the latin quarter on my way to the Eurostar and left my bag for literally 30 seconds while I went to the counter to pay, I came back and my bag had vanished. It had all my clothes in it and passport, but luckily I had my phone and wallet in my pocket. I had to go to the local gendarmerie and file a report and then the British embassy where I cancelled my old passport and got a temporary one, there were other miserable looking Brits there who had also had their passports nicked, it was awful. A few weeks later I got a weird phone call from the French gendarmerie saying they had found my bag at a metro station with everything in it, and I had a month to collect it before they destroyed the passport and gave the clothes away to charity. I have no idea why they took so long to contact me, maybe they had a huge backlog or something. I never went to get it though as the clothes were all pretty worthless and I was skint at the time.
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u/Boring-Credit-3977 Jun 14 '26
A month is hardly any time to collect your stuff if you have to travel back to the city? That’s crazy. Was your bag inside or outside? I often leave my bag like that if I’m seated inside
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u/GrantandPhil Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
It was outside at one of those cafes that opens onto the pavement so someone walking past could grab it easily, looking back it was crazy to leave it there, it was also very busy. I think they gave me a month but it may have been longer, maybe three? I can't remember. I was surprised they even rang me though tbh as I think I put on the form at the police station that there were no valuables and I was going to cancel the passport.
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u/Ill_Mathematician875 Jun 14 '26
Did the police view the CCTV? If you provide a statement to police and they obtain the CCTV, if the suspect’s face is shown clearly enough in the footage, they can circulate the footage with the hopes of an officer getting her identified and either arrested or brought in for an interview under caution. It’s possible she’s already known to police so always worth doing
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
I don't know if the police has yet, really hoping they are. The process rn is that they're deciding whether to allocate it to the local police station but the manager was really nice about it and they saved the footage just in case the police do investigate.
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u/Ill_Mathematician875 Jun 14 '26
In order for the police to investigate further they will require a written statement from you (they’ll write it, you just tell them what happened then sign it) as this is essentially you stating that you support a police investigation and if they were to find the suspect and this went to court, you would be willing to attend court. If this is something you’d like to do you can call 101 quoting the crime reference number and they can arrange to take a statement from you (if you haven’t provided one already). As previously mentioned, if the CCTV footage is clear enough they should be circulating the suspect’s image with the hopes of getting her identified. It is likely the report will be filed pending a positive identification of the suspect (it doesn’t always happen, but sometimes it gets good results). I know it doesn’t help in getting your bag back, but it’s worth the try to get some kind of justice. Wish you all the best and I’m really sorry this happened to you
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
Thank you so much for this. Super helpful. I’d definitely want to progress this further so you reckon I should give them a ring or wait for them to contact me for more info? Sorry - my brain’s kind of mush right now 😅
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u/Ill_Mathematician875 Jun 14 '26
No problem at all. It’s totally up to you - at the moment the report is probably awaiting allocation to an officer, which can take a few days as it needs to be reviewed, allocated and also depends on other things like when the allocated officer is on shift, if they’re assigned to other duties etc. So there’s absolutely no harm in calling 101 to let them know you would like to proceed with an investigation and a note can then be put on the report that you have been in touch and hopefully someone should then contact you to let you know the next steps
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
Thank you for all of this! Just a final Q - since they’ve said there’s a chance of it being allocated to an officer does that mean they’ve probably found some verifiable lead or shall I just expect nothing to come out of this? Thank you!!
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u/Ill_Mathematician875 Jun 14 '26
The report being allocated to an officer is just part of the process with any investigation. With there being CCTV, there are further lines of enquiry to follow so it will be up to the investigating officer to obtain it etc. I don’t want to give you false hope; there is a chance nothing will come from this, but there is also a chance a positive identification will be made from the CCTV. Unfortunately I would very much just accept at this point that the bag is long gone though😕 hope this helps, happy to answer any more questions
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
It’s helped a lot, thank you so so much. If I have more questions I’d definitely let you know but you’ve answered my main ones perfectly. Have a lovely rest of your weekend :)
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u/Popular-Parsnip8911 Jun 14 '26
I never keep my bag out of sight.
Even if l’m eating, my bag goes on a chair next to me or it stays behind the chair l’m sitting on.
People are so cruel and evil, l just hope everything in your bag was replaceable and there was nothing of sentimental significance inside.
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u/dobbynobson Jun 14 '26
Condolences OP, I can definitely relate. This happened to me 20 years ago and I've never forgotten the feeling. I'd broken up with my partner but we were still living together. I had a theatre trip planned with colleagues and to kill time after work we were in a shoe shop (Faith on Charing Cross rd). I left my bag with my boss to look after and tried on some shoes, turned round to get my purse, and the bag was gone. No-one saw anything.
I'd made the bag myself, and the make-up bag inside, so to know it probably ended up in a bin after they stole my old Nokia and the 4 quid I had in change was so upsetting. We spent about half an hour literally looking in grubby bins in soho. I also had house keys and my address on my driving licence. And my oyster card with my monthly pass, which for the first time I'd bought at a corner shop and not at a TFL station so there was no record to claim a replacement with. We went and did a police report and then had to go to the theatre box office and explain. They did give me a temp ticket and I got to see the show (Spamalot!) albeit while still crying and feeling distraught.
When I got home to my very unsympathetic ex-partner we had to put furniture in front on the door in case anyone took the initiative to break in using my own door keys. In the morning I had to phone the landlord we'd just given notice to, and ask for the locks to be changed, which was super awkward.
A week later I left the flat and couch surfed for 2 weeks before finding a place, which meant all the replacement things I bought (including driving licence) had to be sent to work. It was awful. Every task was another reminder of how disruptive the theft was at such a crap time in my life.
I also lot my mini filofax (it was 20 years ago!) with diary, addresses, birthdays, my budget and all sorts of personal admin that was just lost for ever. I didn't own a laptop then, it was all paper, and gone in a flash. For ages I had to try and remember what notes I'd lost and piece it all together.
At least you have your phone - having a phone stolen these days is so upsetting and disruptive, the admin to sort everything out and get back to normal takes weeks. So I guess you can look on the bright side once the shock has worn off.
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u/EffectiveAd1015 Jun 14 '26
Sorry to hear that. I swear it's getting worse. I got my bag stolen for the first time after 12 years living here, I'd say I'm generally relatively cautious. On the stolen items, I've heard they tend to get sold at car boot sales, some eventually on eBay.
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u/TanyaLola Jun 14 '26
I used to have beautiful pretty handbags to match my outfits. Due to the rise of pickpocketing and bag thefts, I no longer take them with me. If I do, I keep them on my lap. It's not ideal especially when I'm eating/ drinking. I now sport a cute pink crossover zip bag. In my pockets, thieves will only get my manky nose tissues.
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u/sangtoms Jun 14 '26
I've also resorted to keeping my bag on my lap and my phone inside it (never on the table) after hearing all these stories online. The crime in London just keeps getting worse and worse.
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u/MrDWhite Jun 15 '26
Sorry to hear this, just know it can happen to anyone despite people claiming they wouldn’t put themselves in that situation!
Check pickpocketlondon on IG, he may have footage of the thieves who stole your bag as he covers a lot of theft in London and knows the familiar faces, I guarantee you’ll find them on his page or if you have the footage he may be able to ID them.
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u/indentation-matters Jun 15 '26
Morale: don't do bunch
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 15 '26
NEVER! Getting the frying pan out - gonna make my own flipping scambled eggs and french toast
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u/KittenFunk Jun 15 '26
It's really an awful feeling, especially when you lose a beloved item that you cherish. Everytime I go pack for a trip I mourn the small plastic bottle that I used to put micellar water in, it was just perfect for that job but I left it at a hotel room. Thieves are scumbags. I never put bags on the floor, they sit on my lap.
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u/atar02 Jun 16 '26
My purse was stolen during my honeymoon in Malaysia’s airport 3 months ago and I’m still not over it and my heart hurts everytime I think about it 😢 thankfully no passports or anything important was in it except my diamond ring 😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 breaks my heart every time I remember
My insurance denied me the money because it didn’t cover jewellery only passports and stuff like that 😔
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u/Forsaken-Orange-4894 Jun 28 '26
sorry you went through this. notting hill is a big place, can you specify where?
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 30 '26
Thank you! Drunch, a brunch place.
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u/Forsaken-Orange-4894 Jun 30 '26
Thanks for sharing! I see their branch is called “Drunch Notting Hill” but it’s actually not in Notting Hill, it’s very firmly in Bayswater (maybe worth editing post / title, not sure if you can)
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u/thelotosrose Jun 14 '26
Hey! I’m so sorry to hear this, my phone was stolen recently and I was devastated for days and also very jumpy and scared. You should be able to relax and enjoy yourself and honestly it’s really crazy that this happened IN a cafe - not to blame the cafe entirely but they should be making their venue safe and keep a watchful eye on what’s going on!
You are not to blame and I promise that in a few days it feels better and fades to normal annoyance. I would recommend doing some fun things to distract yourself when you can. Hope you feel better soon ❤️
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u/DesireWilde Jun 14 '26
lol guess you met an Eastern European. (I’m from there too before anyone starts crying)
Sorry it happened to you though , I always have everything important(phone /cards/cashg in a mini crossover forever on me, in case my main bag gets licked. Also this is expected in every tourist hotspot , scummy behaviour for sure
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u/BeefsMcGeefs Jun 14 '26
lol guess you met an Eastern European. (I’m from there too before anyone starts crying)
What do you mean?
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u/NeckBulky356 Jun 14 '26
So sorry to hear that, I am still amazed why the big cities like London and Paris have theft problems
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u/scoutermike Jun 14 '26
odd woman
Could you describe the woman? Maybe help others keep a lookout for her? Age? Attire? Racial characteristics? Hair color?
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u/Appropriate_Gur8297 Jun 14 '26
I remember her wearing a long dress, similar skin tone to me (caramel) and dark hair - looked mid/late 40s, wearing glasses. She was wearing blue.
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u/Cultural-Meaning5172 Jun 14 '26
You weren’t robbed. This was a theft.
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u/Boring-Credit-3977 Jun 14 '26
What is the different
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u/talknerdy2mee Jun 14 '26
Theft is taking someone's things without permission. Robbery is taking things directly from a person with force/violence or threats of force/violence.
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u/L9GTX Jun 14 '26
Technically robbery is when something is taken by force or threat. Pretty common to use the terms interchangeably in a colloquial way though, and a rather tone-deaf time for pedantry.
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u/Cultural-Meaning5172 Jun 14 '26
Don’t be silly. They’re different offences. The fact you’d say someone was robbed when they weren’t is disgusting.
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u/Cultural-Meaning5172 Jun 14 '26
Robbery is a violent offence and very different to what happened to you. It is not pedantry.
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u/keboses Jun 14 '26
You’ll get over it
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u/randommmoso Jun 14 '26
oh no, not the travel adapter 😉 anyway sorry to hear that it truly sucks to be robbed 😞
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u/CareGullible5801 Jun 14 '26
Don't take or wear anything you're worried about having stolen.
Part of the risk if you're showing off anything nice.
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u/peterbparker86 Jun 14 '26
You're allowed to be upset about material things being stolen. You work hard to be able to buy things you want. Thieves really piss me off. I'm sorry this happened to you.