Dublin Bus **Pickpockets**

Katrina101

Hi,

I am posting this to make others aware. I was pick-pocketed on the 15A today. My purse was stolen from my back-pack from the inside pocket. I think it was stolen when I was getting off the bus. 160 euro stolen and all bank cards.

I know I should have been more careful. I reported it to the police who said there has been a spate of robberies from buses of late.

Just posting in the hope I can stop this happening to others. Please carry back-packs to the front of you when leaving the bus and make sure your valuables are safe at all times.

When on holiday I am very cautious when using public transport but was complacent today.

Its a horrible feeling, I just hope it serves as a warning to others.

Thanks.

Aard

Was this in Rathgar by any chance? A friend's phone was stolen after getting off the bus there. A man had followed her off the bus, after having seen her with an expensive phone, and grabbed it and ran. Apparently it has happened before to people getting off on the Rathgar Road.

Katrina101

Hey,

Sorry to hear about your friend. I am not sure where it happened somewhere between Terenure and Camden St.

The police say its happening all the time. Just wish I had been more cautious. Hope your friend is ok.

GTE

Sorry to hear about the OPs experience. As a heads up to anyone who gets tech stuff stolen, anyone with Android and Apple phones/tablets have tracking features generally. I am not too sure if they are switched on automatically or not but could be worth a punt.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager‎;

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2698

I have been testing tracking out on my Android devices and its scarily accurate, which is why I never used to use it. Conspiracy theories maaaaannnnnn. Then my tablet got stolen so I changed my mind =P

Giblet

There was a warning on the green Luas today about a pickpocketer being on the tram.

punisher5112

Hi op contact DUBLINBUS straight away and reportthis as the cctv is very good quality and would have good images of people who robbed you.

I work as a driver and had to get footage for many things.

I would recommend calling the garage the bus is stationed at and talk to the inspector who can put into log to have footage kept.

Also send an email into head office and keep at them as this is happening and you are not the 1st or the last.

Sorry to hear what happened.

_Kaiser_

bbk wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the OPs experience. As a heads up to anyone who gets tech stuff stolen, anyone with Android and Apple phones/tablets have tracking features generally. I am not too sure if they are switched on automatically or not but could be worth a punt.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager‎;

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2698

I have been testing tracking out on my Android devices and its scarily accurate, which is why I never used to use it. Conspiracy theories maaaaannnnnn. Then my tablet got stolen so I changed my mind =P

Windows Phones also have this ability and it's enabled by default - link here (applies to WP7 and 8)

Katrina101

punisher5112 wrote: »

Hi op contact DUBLINBUS straight away and reportthis as the cctv is very good quality and would have good images of people who robbed you.

I work as a driver and had to get footage for many things.

I would recommend calling the garage the bus is stationed at and talk to the inspector who can put into log to have footage kept.

Also send an email into head office and keep at them as this is happening and you are not the 1st or the last.

Sorry to hear what happened.

Hi,

Thank you for the reply. I will contact Dublin Bus now. I reported it to the police who said they would request the CCTV. Thanks again for the reply. I think there is a lot of this going around at the moment. I should have been more cautious, lesson learned.

Thanks again for the advice. I will follow it up.

TouchingVirus

What time was this at OP? I take that route daily

cdebru

bbk wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the OPs experience. As a heads up to anyone who gets tech stuff stolen, anyone with Android and Apple phones/tablets have tracking features generally. I am not too sure if they are switched on automatically or not but could be worth a punt.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager‎;

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2698

I have been testing tracking out on my Android devices and its scarily accurate, which is why I never used to use it. Conspiracy theories maaaaannnnnn. Then my tablet got stolen so I changed my mind =P

Only the most stupid of thieves don't know how to disable this, it is only of use really now if you lose the phone rather than when some skank takes it.

Missyelliot2

Hi there,
OP am really sorry to hear what has happened- it happened to me on a bus and BusEireann were amazingly helpful-they were also eager that I should report it, as I think they are cheesed off with complete skangers using the buses to rob people.

I just think it has got so much worse. They caught the lowlife that stole my phone, it went to court and (despite his huge record of other crimes), he got a suspended sentence. He now knows me -I am the loser in this!
The Guards were amazing, so supportive and kept me informed as much as they could.

It must be so frustrating for them to go through all the c%$£ of apprehending someone ....then nothing! I am all for chain gangs for the lot of them!
Pick up litter, clean public toilets, paint public amenities etc!

Katrina101

TouchingVirus wrote: »

What time was this at OP? I take that route daily

Hi,

It happened at 2pm yesterday. I had my headphones in and think it happened when I was standing waiting to get off. The police say its prevalent on public transport so I would say be extra cautious.

Thanks.

Katrina101

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

Hi there,
OP am really sorry to hear what has happened- it happened to me on a bus and BusEireann were amazingly helpful-they were also eager that I should report it, as I think they are cheesed off with complete skangers using the buses to rob people.

I just think it has got so much worse. They caught the lowlife that stole my phone, it went to court and (despite his huge record of other crimes), he got a suspended sentence. He now knows me -I am the loser in this!
The Guards were amazing, so supportive and kept me informed as much as they could.

It must be so frustrating for them to go through all the c%$£ of apprehending someone ....then nothing! I am all for chain gangs for the lot of them!
Pick up litter, clean public toilets, paint public amenities etc!

Hi,

I am so sorry that was awful, going to all that trouble to catch the person for them to get away with it. Its appalling. The police were really nice yesterday they said they would chase up the CCTV from the bus. I think they know it's a huge problem of late.

I am going to contact Dublin Bus. Even if they would put signs on the buses to warn people. I am usually quite cautious you just dont expect this kind of thing to happen on broad daylight.

Hope you are ok now and have gotten over it.

GTE

cdebru wrote: »

Only the most stupid of thieves don't know how to disable this, it is only of use really now if you lose the phone rather than when some skank takes it.

Depending on how quickly you notice it being stolen and the time it takes for the thief to reformat the device as they can not get past security locks, there could be ample time to find where it is.

Let's stay nice and positive, no need to be a negative nelly

stinkbomb

People should also be wary when waiting to board a bus. For instance pickpockets were operating in pairs on O'Connell St one day last week. The first person goes towards the front of the queue and and engages the driver by asking for directions or whatever thus holding up and blocking the queue and making it easier for the other one to pick pockets in the ensuing scrum at the door. I'm a driver and it happened to me but I didn't think anything of it until I was talking to some of the other lads who'd come across the same thing and in one case at least a phone was stolen. The bloke was asking for a bus to Crumlin but was stopping buses going north from O'Connell St so was able to jump off fairly quick without raising suspicion.

cdebru

bbk wrote: »

Depending on how quickly you notice it being stolen and the time it takes for the thief to reformat the device as they can not get past security locks, there could be ample time to find where it is.

Let's stay nice and positive, no need to be a negative nelly

Realistic not negative they only work if the phone has a data connection, all the scumbags know this so first thing they do is turn the phone off and whip out the sim.

Best you can do is report it to your provider so they can block the imei and make it fairly worthless.

No point giving people false hope that they will get it back by using these apps.

Missyelliot2

cdebru wrote: »

Realistic not negative they only work if the phone has a data connection, all the scumbags know this so first thing they do is turn the phone off and whip out the sim.

Best you can do is report it to your provider so they can block the imei and make it fairly worthless.

No point giving people false hope that they will get it back by using these apps.

Should every provider be contacted? If one provider blocks the phone, is the information passed on to the other providers?

stop

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

Should every provider be contacted? If one provider blocks the phone, is the information passed on to the other providers?

Information is shared between Irish providers, but there is no system to share blocked IMEI numbers with other countries. This makes it very easy for phones to be sold on to our nearest neighbours or further afield..

Slightly OTT report from de Herald on phone theft from last summer

cdebru

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

Should every provider be contacted? If one provider blocks the phone, is the information passed on to the other providers?

Just your own provider they put it on a blacklist it is supposed to be blacklisted across the EU but at the very least it should be blacklisted in Ireland anyway making it worth an awful lot less to them.

cdebru

stop wrote: »

Information is shared between Irish providers, but there is no system to share blocked IMEI numbers with other countries. This makes it very easy for phones to be sold on to our nearest neighbours or further afield..

Slightly OTT report from de Herald on phone theft from last summer

Yes there is I don't know how effective it is but the GSMA keep a worldwide blacklist.
http://www.gsma.com/technicalprojects/fraud-security/imei-database

Missyelliot2

cdebru wrote: »

Just your own provider they put it on a blacklist it is supposed to be blacklisted across the EU but at the very least it should be blacklisted in Ireland anyway making it worth an awful lot less to them.

Thank you cdebru. Unfortunately, this didn't happen in my case. The guy took a photo and posted it on facebook. Would love if he was just left with a useless phone!

cdebru

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

Thank you cdebru. Unfortunately, this didn't happen in my case. The guy took a photo and posted it on facebook. Would love if he was just left with a useless phone!

Do you have the imei number it should be on the box if you still have it, or the network should have it themselves anyway. If it was an iphone you can get the imei from your itunes on your pc if you have it synced.

how long after he took the phone did he post the pic on facebook ?

stop

cdebru wrote: »

Yes there is I don't know how effective it is but the GSMA keep a worldwide blacklist.
http://www.gsma.com/technicalprojects/fraud-security/imei-database

Interesting, but never heard of it before. I note that Vodafone do not mention blocking outside Ireland:
http://www.vodafone.ie/aboutus/code/carepolicies/theft/

...will register your handset on a central barring database called the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), and your handset will not work on any mobile network in Ireland.

The Irish database was created by/with the Irish Cellular Industry Association.. but info on them seems to be hard to find online.


Old thread on this here

Missyelliot2

cdebru wrote: »

Do you have the imei number it should be on the box if you still have it, or the network should have it themselves anyway. If it was an iphone you can get the imei from your itunes on your pc if you have it synced.

how long after he took the phone did he post the pic on facebook ?

He posted it 2 days later. A friend of mine saw it and took a screenshot.He removed the post within a few hours.

I am going back to my old faithful Nokia - it's so banjaxed a thief wouldn't bother;)

punisher5112

Hi OP did you contact Ringsend?

I hope you push as I doubt the cops will chase for video footage unless you push.

The footage doesn't last very long as it's on a never ending cycle so after a few days the footage is just wiped and copied over.

If you made contact did you also ask to speak to depot manager because they don't want these things happening but with Irish laws there is very little can or will be done.

It's a grey area where we have to decide whether we take a intending passenger or not because of how they may behave or how they have been before as it's very difficult to prove and they could make things difficult.

Let us know how you get on.