Romanians

Relative helped for a while in a charity shop. Often given the task of tailing Roma women who came in with big black cloaks/ skirts/ coats.

Says it was hard to believe what they'd try to thieve and hide in their clothes. Almost no item too big.

But are these Romanian?

Roma are an ethnic group of circa 12 million, a large population is indeed in Romania however similar if not greater populations are in Spain, France, Turkey, Bulgaria. There are more in the US than anywhere else. They originate from India.

There is only similarities in the name, Roma have been born and live in Romania, so these are Romanian Roma. However it is completely wrong to suggest Romanians are Roma, in fact the Roma community is hated in Romania and they are also associated with serious crime - drug smuggling, murders, arms running, you name it. Same story in Bulgaria and Turkey.

Romania itself originated from the ancient Dacia which was under the Roman empire for a short time who were believed to of aggressively colonized it - there is fierce debate about this but many agree this was the origin of Romania.