iphone robbery on the Ha'penny Bridge

taisteal

I just wanted to alert everyone that there were a series of phone snatchings on the Ha'penny Bridge yesterday. My friend had her phone stolen from her hand by a young fella who seemed to have many accomplices. Members of the public intervened and actually caught him but through a series of throwing and kicking the phone to various allies, throwing beer at passers by and various boisterousness, they got away, phone in hand. They he managed to get away. Afterwards a girl who came to see if my friend was alright said that they had tried to steal her phone just minutes before.


Hands-free all the way. It enrages me that we can't even send a text in public anymore!

delta_bravo

taisteal wrote: »

It enrages me that we can't even send a text in public anymore!

You can, once your phone is a heap of shiite like mine Tough break but I would rarely text out in public in town, you're too vunerable - your head is faced down so you dont know who is around you. Just pop into a shop and do it.

Lenny

Best thing on EVERY phone, is a auotplay key lock after one min, quite fool proof and just as effective as stopping access like a sim!

PCPhoto

I use a Nokia N97 ....its easier to type using the keypad - so 2hands are on the phone while texting. (unless I use the touch screen)

they probably sell those iPhones on for €50 to a shop - which is pointless because once they are reported stolen they cant be used and just means the original phone user has to go off and buy a new phone.

(Hope she had phone insurance)

EDIT: Thanks for the heads up OP - people be aware while texting ANYWHERE - not just the H'Penny bridge in Dublin - junkie robbing scum*are everywhere !!!

* = not calling these people junkies as I dont know if they were desperate for a fix or trying to rob a phone to get money to pay for food for their kids - but you know what I mean

spurious

They probably sell them to a mate for a tenner and head off to the nearest head shop. There's been a big rise in 'petty crime' in the city centre area since the head shops started getting media attention - particularly early in the morning as people go to work and are perhaps not quite with it yet.

CathalDublin

delta_bravo wrote: »

You can, once your phone is a heap of shiite like mine Tough break but I would rarely text out in public in town, you're too vunerable - your head is faced down so you dont know who is around you. Just pop into a shop and do it.

:eek::eek::eek:
I'm not walking into a shop to use my phone, I use my phone wherever I like whenever I like!
I can't believe this is going on, only in Dublin:(

chin_grin

How can you scaremonger and say from one incident that there's a "series" of these snatchings going on? Glad your mate got the phone back, but as a previous poster says. You're risking it when you have a new shiny phone that just screams 'look at me'. Not like me crappy ericsson. Aw.......

WindSock

delta_bravo wrote: »

You can, once your phone is a heap of shiite like mine Tough break but I would rarely text out in public in town, you're too vunerable - your head is faced down so you dont know who is around you. Just pop into a shop and do it.

Exactly. You have to be vigilant in town. There are always going to be people wanting to steal your stuff, especially an iPhone. You can't be wandering around texting while not looking to see what's around. My phone is crap too, but I still stop somewhere where I feel a bit safer and can grasp my things a bit harder in case there are cycle-bys etc.

eightyfish

spurious wrote: »

There's been a big rise in 'petty crime' in the city centre area since the head shops started getting media attention

That's just speculation. How do you know about this 'big rise'. Junkies never had any problem getting a fix in town.

Sorry OP.

GUIGuy

Yup I've witnessed one snatch and almost been the victim of another in the past week at a bus stop near the ha'penny bridge (South Quays). Fortunately for me I saw him lurching forward and had a tight grip... when I didn't release his momentum tripped him up. He almost fell flat on his face and all around just sneered at his pathetic effort.

The druggies hang around the arch & the convenience store there (Londis/Centra?) It's not so nice to have to see them fumbling about in their groin for deals... It's all very in your face. I remember the Guards saying that they'd cleaned up the boardwalks/quays but I guess it would take about 10 of them permanently stationed to effectively do it.

delta_bravo

CathalDublin wrote: »

I can't believe this is going on, only in Ireland:(

Phone theft only in Ireland? Get a grip, this stuff happens in most major cities.

taisteal

Of course one must be vigilant particularly with an expensive phone. The purpose of my post was to warn people that within the space of 5 minutes, two attempts were made to rob a particular phone from two different people in the same area. It was unfortunate.
Scaremongering is a bit harsh chin_grin. And your post implies that having a nice "shiny new" phone makes you have notions about yourself. People are entitled to buy whatever phone they like. This Irish attitude of 'who do they think they are' really gets my goat. So begrudging!

ian_m

It's never been any different around town. In fact it might be safer now than before. (Absolutely nothing to do with Head Shops BTW). Common sense prevails.

There was once a time when you wouldn't dream of using an ATM on O'Connell Street.

billybigunz

spurious wrote: »

They probably sell them to a mate for a tenner and head off to the nearest head shop. There's been a big rise in 'petty crime' in the city centre area since the head shops started getting media attention - particularly early in the morning as people go to work and are perhaps not quite with it yet.

That is complete rubbish. Based on a hunch I presume?

RandolphEsq

If you carry some sort of spray (deodrant, tiny bottle) and someone wants to mug you, spray them in the face! Could kill them!

Pace2008

spurious wrote: »

They probably sell them to a mate for a tenner and head off to the nearest head shop. There's been a big rise in 'petty crime' in the city centre area since the head shops started getting media attention - particularly early in the morning as people go to work and are perhaps not quite with it yet.

I know blaming easy targets like head shops for complex societal problems is very in at the moment, but this is taking the piss a bit.

cosmic

spurious wrote: »

They probably sell them to a mate for a tenner and head off to the nearest head shop. There's been a big rise in 'petty crime' in the city centre area since the head shops started getting media attention

Nonsense. This carry on has been going on for years. When I lived with my parents in Artane I used to get the bus home from Eden Quay - a day barely went by without seeing someone on that stretch getting their phone/purse(as they rummaged for bus fare) eyed up or robbed. Same as what's going on now all over town, and most towns - this is nothing new!

davem75

Living in the city centre for the last 4 years and the city is getting worst. Everywhere you look now there is a junkie.

The Garda never did anything about the dealing on the boardwalks. Just last Friday night standing at the lights waiting to cross over to the ha'penny bridge and two young lads openly passing drugs & cash to each other.

Throw the whole lot of them into the river and watch them swim. Its the only way to clean up this city.

delta_bravo

davem75 wrote: »

Living in the city centre for the last 4 years and the city is getting worst. Everywhere you look now there is a junkie.

The Garda never did anything about the dealing on the boardwalks. Just last Friday night standing at the lights waiting to cross over to the ha'penny bridge and two young lads openly passing drugs & cash to each other.

Throw the whole lot of them into the river and watch them swim. Its the only way to clean up this city.

So I presume you called the Gardai when you saw the drug deal take place?

PCPhoto

delta_bravo wrote: »

So I presume you called the Gardai when you saw the drug deal take place?

to be fair .... not a whole lot can/would be done .....gardai are unable to immediately respond and appear out of thin air....by the time the phone call would have been made the deal would have been done and both parties would have left the scene (probably).

in the unlikely event that a garda was nearby - he/she would need reasonable grounds of suspicion before he/she could search the alleged dealer - who would have to be identified by the caller.... just because joe public says he seen it happen doesnt mean it happened...or that there will be any evidence to charge the person.

even if they found the person with drugs - all that could/would happen is they would be brought down to the station, charged and released ....so they are back on the streets pretty much straight away - legally they cannot be detained and kept off the streets.

Personally I'd love if rules were changed to make it harder or even impossible) for those drug dealing and those associated with the drugs trade....be it constant patrols by gardai ...or actual jail sentences by the judges, none of this legal aid crap - they're so poor they cant afford a solicitor - but they can wear brand new Air Max and have 40" LCD screens at home !!

adamski8

delta_bravo wrote: »

So I presume you called the Gardai when you saw the drug deal take place?

In fairness what would that achieve? zero!

gamgsam

Glad to hear members of the public stepped in, it seems more often now that people just ignore.

Saw some really hairy **** in the states that people just walk straight past. Strange.

ParkRunner

In fairness to the Gardai I have seen them out on the boardwalk searching people and arresting them everyday for the last week and a half. And I for one don't envy them their job.

spurious

spurious wrote: »

They probably sell them to a mate for a tenner and head off to the nearest head shop. There's been a big rise in 'petty crime' in the city centre area since the head shops started getting media attention - particularly early in the morning as people go to work and are perhaps not quite with it yet.

billybigunz wrote: »

That is complete rubbish. Based on a hunch I presume?

No.
Based on the fact that I work with many of the children doing the stealing. The comment about the recent rise in petty crime in the Talbot St./Connolly station/Marlborough St. areas was made by a Garda at a recent case conference. It can be directly linked to one particular headshop which despite looking closed, operates 24 hour. The 'going to work' period is a prime time for snatches, especially the stretch of Talbot Street from Connolly to Gardiner St..
Call it a hunch if you want. It's not the boardwalk junkies doing it.

eightyfish

spurious wrote: »

The comment about the recent rise in petty crime in the Talbot St./Connolly station/Marlborough St. areas was made by a Garda at a recent case conference. It can be directly linked to one particular headshop which despite looking closed, operates 24 hour.

You know that crime rates go up in a recession, right?

spurious

eightyfish wrote: »

You know that crime rates go up in a recession, right?

Yes.

gimme5minutes

It's definitely gotten worse over the last few months. I witnessed two muggings in the last few weeks. Anyway walking around with a fancy phone in front of scumbags is never a good idea, and your always guaranteed a few scummers around the Hapenny Bridge.

CathalDublin

delta_bravo wrote: »

Phone theft only in Ireland? Get a grip, this stuff happens in most major cities.

LOL sorry
This was suppose to say Dublin and not meant on a world wide scale but just Ireland, but thinking now I can think of at least 2 other counties it would happen in.
Kinda reminds me of when the Nike Air Max first came out and there were people getting their runners nicked off their feet in the City centre lol.

starviewadams

A junkie tried to rob my roll from me while I was waiting for the bus on Aston Quay a few nights back,barefaced f*ckin cheek like!

I hate that bus stop,nobody around at night except for the junkies,wish Dublin Bus would move it somewhere safe!

CathalDublin

starviewadams wrote: »

A junkie tried to rob my roll from me while I was waiting for the bus on Aston Quay a few nights back,barefaced f*ckin cheek like!

I hate that bus stop,nobody around at night except for the junkies,wish Dublin Bus would move it somewhere safe!

Lower abbey street use to be like that too, no idea what its like now as I haven't got the bus from there in some years.

Jay D

Little feckers but a bit of common sense around town in fairness. I've never had my phone robbed in that way. I always have my whits about me when I see a few bastards like that.

I do remember however I had a needle to my neck when I was about 16/17 on Trinity St. Phone or needle, I gave my phone.

stovelid

Second nature to me by now to be alert and firmly cup the phone in my hand when I'm using it, especially as it's an OK phone.

Oink

Aaah... Hal'Penny Bridge. Had my wallet stolen there once. Memories, memories.

I feel for you OP, I know how traumatic this kind of things can be. Every time I remember this kind of things it boils my blood, even years later.

Hope the b@$!@ get what they deserve.

Flamed Diving

I have a **** phone and a **** mp3 player. Each worth less than €80. Junkie-proof.

potsy86

question: how many people have act'ually seen a junkie run...?

if a junkie took your phone ya should easily get it back there that out of it most the time they don't get very far at all

its more the little scum bag kids out in gangs robbing the phones they know they can get away as quick as they get it don't think iv ever seen a junkie at it there usually pestering ya for that 2 euro for the bus home which is a lie if you walk back the same way an hour later the same person will ask the same question and be none the wiser that he asked you an hour ago

andy winter

In Hong-Kong they actually chop your hand off to get your watch or rings if you resist! :eek:

OP: you should know better than to take out your i-phone in a city centre location and not expect this! :rolleyes:

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

ironclaw

Scien wrote: »

Seems like the worst ever place to commit a snatch & grab to me... Not tripping on the steps is the first obstacle, then both exits off the bridge are onto oncoming traffic...
Although thinking about it now, I would be apathetic if a little scummy thief got pasted by a Hilux.

Or a Hi-Ace. Delicious irony

AnonoBoy

Always keep a firm hold of phones, bags when you're about the city centre (and indeed anywhere) and always be aware of who's around you, especially standing waiting at pedestrian crossings and at ATMs.

Warnings like "there's been a load of robberies at the Ha'penny Bridge recently so watch out!" imply that they've only just started or that they're only going on at this location. Do you think that's the only place these lads have tried it/will try it?

You need to have your wits about you all the time. It should come as second nature to anyone who spends a lot of time in the city centre.

starviewadams

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Always keep a firm hold of phones, bags when you're about the city centre (and indeed anywhere) and always be aware of who's around you, especially standing waiting at pedestrian crossings and at ATMs.

Warnings like "there's been a load of robberies at the Ha'penny Bridge recently so watch out!" imply that they've only just started or that they're only going on at this location. Do you think that's the only place these lads have tried it/will try it?

You need to have your wits about you all the time. It should come as second nature to anyone who spends a lot of time in the city centre.

+1
Bit of common sense goes a long way,if there's a couple of dodgy lookin lads/ladies near ya,dont take out your expensive phone/ipod/wallet and make sure to keep a good grip on your bag.