I’m absolutely incensed. Rob and Ron, my Texan friends, were packing to fly home after their London visit when they went to get out a sweater they’d bought at Selfridges – and it wasn’t there. Their shopping bag had been neatly sliced open, almost certainly with a box cutter, probably on the Tube, and the sweater taken.
They were gracious and gentlemanly about it, but I was embarrassed and disgusted. What alarms me most is the thought of someone wandering around with a blade in their pocket.
Please be aware when you’re out and about – in any city:
- Hold your shopping bags close – this is clearly a thing.
- I don’t take a handbag out or wear a watch, and I keep my phone hidden away.
- Plan your route before you set off, so you’re not standing on the street staring at your phone.
I’ve turned off comments on this one: it was only ever meant as a friendly public service announcement, not a political debate. Crime happens everywhere – just stay safe. (Comments are, of course, still very much open on all my cooking!)