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Topic ID 2563

07/03/2007 by Steve

Incidents - Town Centre - Wed 7th/Mon12th March

Police looking through waste paper bins, patrolling M&S in-store, reports of a vehicle surrounded in the the car park, shopkeepers asked if anyone's been in trying to sell gold... Anyone got anything more?


0 replies

Archived Replies

Reply ID 36887

08/03/2007 by Hertfordgirl

Interesting my (now x) fiance had to hand money over to a few guys for gold a while back now. that was outside NaT West in fore street.


Reply ID 36893

08/03/2007 by azzza

quote:
Originally posted by Hertfordgirl
Interesting my (now x) fiance had to hand money over to a few guys for gold a while back now. that was outside NaT West in fore street.
So are you saying that your ex-fiancé HAD to hand money over in exchange for gold? .. If so, I find this most bizarre?


Reply ID 36930

08/03/2007 by Hertfordgirl

gold.... presuming u mean gold jewellry? obviously not. basically he was threatened to hand over the cash he just got from cash point was then chucked a bag containing gold. (necklaces etc) sorry i misunderstand your comment!!!!


Reply ID 36933

08/03/2007 by azzza

I'm probably being extremely ignorant here, but why would they throw gold necklaces etc. at someone who they've just technically robbed?


Reply ID 36942

08/03/2007 by Leo Densian

quote:
Originally posted by azzza
I'm probably being extremely ignorant here, but why would they throw gold necklaces etc. at someone who they've just technically robbed?
Clearly a split personality between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham [:)]


Reply ID 36944

08/03/2007 by spitfire

quote:
Originally posted by azzza
I'm probably being extremely ignorant here, but why would they throw gold necklaces etc. at someone who they've just technically robbed?
Probably a bag of worthless gold coloured necklaces...If stopped by the police use the defence that the cash was payment.


Reply ID 36969

09/03/2007 by PCSO Hutchin

On Wednesday 7th March 5 Romanian males and 4 Romanian females were arrested under suspicion of Fraud by False Representation. If anyone approached you in Hertford Town Centre trying to sell you gold jewellery then please contact the police on 0845 3300222. We are particularly interested in anyone who was approached on Wednesday 7th March. Thanks, PCSO 6637 Alison Hutchin


Reply ID 36979

09/03/2007 by JohnSmith

What is the relevance of stating they are Romanian? Is there any way that joe public would be able to ascertain this by sight so that we can steer clear of them? Do they have green skin and purple hair?


Reply ID 36980

09/03/2007 by Drama Queen

I should think the "Romanian" Accent and that they are quite definitely not speaking with a "Hertford Accent" would alert you they were Romanian.. or at the very least Eastern European! What do you need? Same old same old, I was reading in the mercury today something about gold being sold that isn't gold by Bulgarians... vaguely in the right hemisphere then..


Reply ID 36983

09/03/2007 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by Drama Queen
I should think the "Romanian" Accent and that they are quite definitely not speaking with a "Hertford Accent" would alert you they were Romanian.. or at the very least Eastern European! What do you need? Same old same old, I was reading in the mercury today something about gold being sold that isn't gold by Bulgarians... vaguely in the right hemisphere then..
These two incidents are reported together in The Mercury


Reply ID 36988

09/03/2007 by James007

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith
What is the relevance of stating they are Romanian?
Maybe because they are Romanian?


Reply ID 37000

09/03/2007 by JohnSmith

If they were English would PCSO Hutchin have reported: "On Wednesday 7th March 5 English males and 4 English females were arrested under suspicion of Fraud by False Representation. If anyone approached you in Hertford Town Centre trying to sell you gold jewellery then please contact the police on 0845 3300222. We are particularly interested in anyone who was approached on Wednesday 7th March." I don't see how their nationality has any bearing as I wouldn't be able to tell a Romanian from a Bulgarian from an Estonian and I doubt very much anyone on here would.


Reply ID 37003

09/03/2007 by James007

A lot of these robberies involve a degree of communication, maybe a lot of spoken words. I can tell a Cockney from a Mancunian. I can't tell a Romanian from a from a Bulgarian. Smith, look at the post that the PCSO placed. It states they have been arrested and just like any media output, the PCSO gives enough information.


Reply ID 37004

09/03/2007 by Deveraux

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith I don't see how their nationality has any bearing as I wouldn't be able to tell a Romanian from a Bulgarian from an Estonian and I doubt very much anyone on here would.
Whilst I tend to agree with your sentiments about stating their nationality I have to disagree with your final comment, having visited Romania several times!


Reply ID 37016

09/03/2007 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith
What is the relevance of stating they are Romanian? Is there any way that joe public would be able to ascertain this by sight so that we can steer clear of them?
What is the relevance of five of them being men and four of them women?


Reply ID 37022

09/03/2007 by azzza

The fact of the matter is that these people have been caught trying to sell stolen goods and all PCSO Hutchins was asking for were witnesses or possible victims to come forward with evidence. All PCSO Hutchins is doing is relaying a description of the people involved to try and job people's memories. How else is PSCO Hutchins able to communicate this information without describing their outward identities i.e. gender, visible desription and nationality?


Reply ID 37027

09/03/2007 by JohnSmith

How can you tell what nationality someone is by looking at them? Paula Radcliffe, Monty Panesar and Ashley Cole are all English. You can usually tell the difference between men & women but to find out someone's nationality you would have to ask them. The fact that they are Romanian is superfluous.


Reply ID 37028

09/03/2007 by sloopjohnb

Having been on leave a few days I cme back and find nothing changed. Have any of you tried walking on broken glass balancng a tray of drinks. It is very much like trying to describe the kind of people the community are trying to catch without falling foul of the the PC police. Would ethnic dress help? We know who we are after and we know amongst ourselves how to describe them but not over the airwaves, not in the press and not on a public board. One of these people tried to sell me a gold ring last Saturday week. I had the cameras on them and how did I describe the young lady with an offer too good to refuse - although I did make my excuses and refuse. I described her thus - of apparently Eastern European origin in ethnic dress. You don't actually see that many in Hertford town centre; and you can't physically describe a person who can't or won't speak the Queens English. And what happened to congratulating the police on actually catching them - Mercury Page 7. I am sure a lot of elderley people who have had their handbags snatched or purses lifted might be very pleased if these were found to be part of the same gang who stole their money. Although of course there is no proof because these people are never caught with large amounts of folding stuff stuck to their palms. It's usually been given to an accomplice - a boy or girl of about 10 years of age, slightly built who can outrun us all. Child labour you might say - but better than sending him up a chimney.


Reply ID 37030

09/03/2007 by JohnSmith

Ah, that's more like it. "apparently of Eastern European origin" That is a much better description. I reckon I might be able to spot that person. Put a Romanian, a Bulgarian, a Hungarian and a Kosovan in front of me and I'd struggle to point out the Romanian.


Reply ID 37031

09/03/2007 by Herbert Lemons

So you find yourself in an awkward situation were you feel obliged to hand over cash and then have worthless jewellery shaped objects thrown at you?! That'll be Argos.


Reply ID 37032

09/03/2007 by Bengeobabe

quote:
Originally posted by Herbert Lemons
So you find yourself in an awkward situation were you feel obliged to hand over cash and then have worthless jewellery shaped objects thrown at you?! That'll be Argos.
ha ha!! that made me smile!![:D][:D][:D]


Reply ID 37033

09/03/2007 by Ewoowar

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith
Ah, that's more like it. "apparently of Eastern European origin" That is a much better description. I reckon I might be able to spot that person. Put a Romanian, a Bulgarian, a Hungarian and a Kosovan in front of me and I'd struggle to point out the Romanian.
Nobody was asking people to pick a Romanian from a group of four Eastern Europeans of different nationalities. And why is it that if someone is described to you as Romanian your geography goes to pot and you are unable to visualise an Eastern European.


Reply ID 37034

09/03/2007 by Ewoowar

What next? "Eastern Europeans, all look the bleedin' same".


Reply ID 37039

09/03/2007 by JohnSmith

You have to understand that not everybody is as clever as the people who post on this forum. I posted something to Croatia a couple of months ago. The woman serving me at the post office asked me where Croatia was as she didn't know.


Reply ID 37043

09/03/2007 by Ewoowar

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith
You have to understand that not everybody is as clever as the people who post on this forum. I posted something to Croatia a couple of months ago. The woman serving me at the post office asked me where Croatia was as she didn't know.
I had the same problem with Belarus. "Where's that?", they questioned at the Post Office.


Reply ID 37054

10/03/2007 by Leo Densian

quote:
Originally posted by Ewoowar
quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith
You have to understand that not everybody is as clever as the people who post on this forum. I posted something to Croatia a couple of months ago. The woman serving me at the post office asked me where Croatia was as she didn't know.
I had the same problem with Belarus. "Where's that?", they questioned at the Post Office.
Hmm - about as bad as the lady at work this week who intended to travel from Newark up the A1 towards York. When she got to Biggleswade she started to have some concerns...


Reply ID 37060

10/03/2007 by buzz

Posted - 09 Mar 2007 : 20:10:58 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How can you tell what nationality someone is by looking at them? Paula Radcliffe, Monty Panesar and Ashley Cole are all English. British maybe...........English.......I don't think so!


Reply ID 37061

10/03/2007 by JohnSmith

Really? So Ashley Cole plays for the British football team? And Monty Panesar plays for the British Cricket team?


Reply ID 37062

10/03/2007 by Admin

The rights and wrongs of how we describe people in such circumstances is not the subject of this thread.


Reply ID 37063

10/03/2007 by JohnSmith

You're right. Back to the matter in hand. We must be aware that Romanians are operating in Hertford.


Reply ID 37064

10/03/2007 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith We must be aware that Romanians are operating in Hertford.
Is that supposed to be ironic? [V]


Reply ID 37208

12/03/2007 by Steve

Not sure if this is another similar incident, but police have surrounded a vehicle at the Mill/Ware Road lights. Boxed in by two police cars and a riot van, the occupants of the French registered vehicle are being questioned at the roadside. There also appears to be an empty vehicle in front of the police cars which bears Spanish plates. A woman with the group looks Eastern European.


Reply ID 37210

12/03/2007 by Willow

I saw that too & the women were lifting their skirts up & tops (& bras) presumably to show the police they had nothing hidden.


Reply ID 37216

12/03/2007 by simcut

damn it! I wish I was there to witness that :-O


Reply ID 37218

12/03/2007 by JohnSmith

quote:
Originally posted by Willow
I saw that too & the women were lifting their skirts up & tops (& bras) presumably to show the police they had nothing hidden.
Are you sure that wasn't just the local chav girls after a few alcopops?


Reply ID 50577

13/03/2008 by Dude

I find I can spot an Eastern European a mile off, particularly Slovaks, Hungarian, Romanian, Polish, Ukrainian and Bulgarian. Obviously its not everyone, but there is a Slav "look" which can be spotted in many of the countries. Just look at the supermodels. An unusually high proportion come from Eastern Europe, because there is something in the face (a sort for 90% European 10% asian) that stands out. Very sharp features, with very dark hair. I think the look is as prominant as say, Scandanavians.


Reply ID 50601

14/03/2008 by buzz

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith
Really? So Ashley Cole plays for the British football team? And Monty Panesar plays for the British Cricket team?
The fact that someone plays for England does not make them English. There are people who represent England who don't even surrender their own nationality in order to do so. If I were to go and live in India, no doubt in due course I could obtain Indian citizenship as could any offspring. It wouldn't make me, or them Indian. The English are a race. You may change your nationality,but you can't change your race


Reply ID 50602

14/03/2008 by JohnSmith

Basically, buzz, what you are saying is that a person's looks don't neccesarily tell you their nationality. Why Dude decided to drag this one up after a year, I don't know.


Reply ID 50604

14/03/2008 by Dreamer

Indian. or I want something really bland.


Reply ID 50606

14/03/2008 by Admin

Completely off-topic


40 replies