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London turns into pickpockets' paradise ahead of Games

London, Jul 21: Pickpockets are having a grand time in the city, thanks to its growing number of guests ahead of the Olympic Games, scheduled to begin next week. According to administrative sources, around 1,700 people are losing something or the other to the pickpockets in crowded streets. These pickpockets have mainly come from countries like Lithuania, Romania and those in Latin America.

London Olympics Special

According to sources, the pickpockets feign as drunkards and seek help from pedestrians to cross the roads. Whenever anybody extend his or her helping hand, the pretender wastes no time in stealing purses, mobile phones or even laptops by taking advantage of the helper's goodness.

The stolen goods are then transferred by the thieves to their own countries and sell them in black markets. It is learnt that a pickpocket earns 4,000 pounds in a week just by stealing purses and many were even spending a luxurious built on this profession back home.

Government sources said that rates of theft have increased manifold in London just because of the approaching Olympics. Over 80,000 complaints of theft have been registered with the police. London Mayor Boris Johnson said his department would take up the matter with the Romanian authorities and pick out the criminals.

A local investigative officer said they have identified the criminals and will arrest them on a surprise raid. The authorities have arrested 80 pickpockets since Friday.

OneIndia News

Story first published: Thursday, August 24, 2017, 17:28 [IST]
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