Romanian Gypsies - TV Programme

[Woody1985]

Did anyone see the program on the Romanian Gypsie families that are moving all across Europe?

I was astounded at some of the stuff that they uncovered during filming and didn't think these type of things happened in major European cities.

One of the craziest things was the kids being sent to steal from people in the street when they were around 8 years old. The girls were also sent to do it. They were approaching people at cash machines in Madrid and when the option came up for the amount to withdraw they hit the button with the highest amount and try and run away with it!

I thought it gave a really good insight into crime and how people are exploiting their wives and children to make money. There was a street that was once a run down Romanian area which is now full of huge mansions from people trafficking and theft from others.

Some of the kids were sold for sums of up to 25,000 Euros for their ability to steal. Some were able to steal up to 12,000 Euros a month.

It also got me thinking about the influx of foreign beggars in Edinburgh and how it has been thought that some of these people may be involved in this type of thing.

It was said on another thread that the only way to stop people from begging is to stop giving them money. However, will it get to the stage where people are coming under attack for their money? I certainly hope not.

[Jack]

I didn’t see the programme Woody but nothing much surprises me these days with regard to people finding dishonest ways of ‘earning’ a living. I read somewhere that around 10% of everything I spend goes to cover shoplifting and security, so basically a lot of these b******* are already stealing a tenner of mine every few days.

I might also suggest that rather than "people exploiting their wives and children" these things are being run as a ‘family business’ and the only people being exploited is again us.

And Finally. “people are coming under attack for their money” you cant be thinking straight or missed out the smilie :wink:, that’s been ‘normal’ for as long as I can remember.
Think about kids having their dinner money bullied off them as a kid, muggers etc. :grr:

[Woody1985]

I didn’t see the programme Woody but nothing much surprises me these days with regard to people finding dishonest ways of ‘earning’ a living. I read somewhere that around 10% of everything I spend goes to cover shoplifting and security, so basically a lot of these b******* are already stealing a tenner of mine every few days.

I might also suggest that rather than "people exploiting their wives and children" these things are being run as a ‘family business’ and the only people being exploited is again us.

And Finally. “people are coming under attack for their money” you cant be thinking straight or missed out the smilie :wink:, that’s been ‘normal’ for as long as I can remember.
Think about kids having their dinner money bullied off them as a kid, muggers etc. :grr:


I know there is an associated cost to all of us for store seccurity, CCTV etc to keep stuff safe that is inevitably added to the price of our goods / services as well as insurance premiums.

I think in relation to the wives/children aspect this was specifically related to the RGs traditions and culture and it was seen that men shouldn't have to do the work as they were effectively in charge.

One girl on the programme was sold for 7,000€ at 13 and the marriage consummated. :rolleyes: The next day she's filmed running round the street having snowball fights like any other 13 y/o.

Certainly people have always been fleeced out their money one way or another but when you have two 10/11/12 year old kids standing at the cashline behind you having the brass neck to try and push the button and run away with your cash is a different level. They didn't care about the sex or stature of the people they were trying to rob whether it was a 6ft guy who would have crushed them with a left pinkie or a woman who couldn't fight back.

[New Corrie]

It's just the usual hysteria from right Wing Daily Mail readers. Nothing in it at all. Just mud raking from fascits. Maybe they should move to Liverpool, they would fit in just perfectly there.

[Woody1985]

It's just the usual hysteria from right Wing Daily Mail readers. Nothing in it at all. Just mud raking from fascits. Maybe they should move to Liverpool, they would fit in just perfectly there.

Did you watch it? I'm guessing not.

The programme wasn't filmed in that manner. They were looking at what help and support these people get and the oppression they face in certain countries such as Italy. They also went along to charities and what was being done to help as many people as possible. It was apparent that most didn't want to be helped or intergrate into the societies they chose to adopt.

They were also looking at the support process and the criminal justice system in Spain, specifically Madrid, when they uncovered quite serious lies about what was being done to assist the minors being arrested for crime.

Overall I though it was quite well balanced.

Is that a typical far left stance that stipulates anything or anyone being shown in a bad light is automatically fascist. :yawn:

Apologies if you were attempting sarcasm above, I just can't tell from the tone whether it was or not.

[J-C]

I watched this a few days ago with total disbelief.

The kids hassling the guys at the cash machines was unreal, 12 year olds trying to force money from grown men, I kept witing for one of them to get a good clip round the lug hole.

[New Corrie]

Did you watch it? I'm guessing not.

The programme wasn't filmed in that manner. They were looking at what help and support these people get and the oppression they face in certain countries such as Italy. They also went along to charities and what was being done to help as many people as possible. It was apparent that most didn't want to be helped or intergrate into the societies they chose to adopt.

They were also looking at the support process and the criminal justice system in Spain, specifically Madrid, when they uncovered quite serious lies about what was being done to assist the minors being arrested for crime.

Overall I though it was quite well balanced.

Is that a typical far left stance that stipulates anything or anyone being shown in a bad light is automatically fascist. :yawn:

Apologies if you were attempting sarcasm above, I just can't tell from the tone whether it was or not.


It was an attempt at sarcasm, although I did read with interest that the Italian PM was hell bent on tagging them even though it was a breach of EU Human Rights legislation, basically highlighting how ridiculous the whole EU concept is. Britain plays ball and the rest do as they please, nothing new there.

[hibsdaft]

this has been happening for years I am afraid. seen it happen with my own eyes years ago in Florence.

the Roma are a very isolated/ introverted bunch (both and i don't know which came first) and i think creates a situation where there sort of crime becomes more acceptable when elsewhere there may be more shame from others in the community who would say you're giving us a bad name stop. the Roma are so discriminated in Europe that i suppose theres not much of a name to lose.

funny what CG says about Liverpool as the Scousers on tour in Europe in the 70s and 80s engaged on stealing raids on shops that were also pretty much accepted amongst their own.

don't know what the fix is exactly but obviously until they are brought into society in Eastern Europe etc then this won't end. unfortunately public opinion over there is not exactly heading in that direction so can't see that happening soon - bit of a chicken and egg situation.

maybe the best chance to tackle the problem was missed back in 1945 after 1m of them were murdered by the Nazi's - something which never got the recognition or response it deserves.

fwiw i don't think the beggars in Edinburgh are engaged in any major crime activity. they've probably simply found that they get a fair income from sitting on the streets all day asking for money.

---------- Post added at 02:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:29 PM ----------


It was an attempt at sarcasm, although I did read with interest that the Italian PM was hell bent on tagging them even though it was a breach of EU Human Rights legislation, basically highlighting how ridiculous the whole EU concept is. Britain plays ball and the rest do as they please, nothing new there.

that statement doesn't make any sense until he actually goes ahead and breaks the EU rules. which he hasn't.

[Woody1985]

It was an attempt at sarcasm, although I did read with interest that the Italian PM was hell bent on tagging them even though it was a breach of EU Human Rights legislation, basically highlighting how ridiculous the whole EU concept is. Britain plays ball and the rest do as they please, nothing new there.

Fair enough. As I say, sometimes the tone is hard to tell when it's written.

But yes, Italy just basically bulldozed their camps and told them to GTF with no support for them. They're told to go to an information office for more information on where they can go. However, the just go to another camp, get evicted from there, move back to the previous bulldozed space and so on.

Even some of the people who were taken in by the charities that were told no begging or stealing / sending the kids to do it persisted. They had a roof over their head and free food but they just couldn't get out their old ways.

Those were mostly the people at the front line. The remarkable thing was the mansions, rows upon rows of huge houses that wouldn't look out of place in Beverly Hills in some run down Romanian town.

[CB_NO3]

Never seen that programe, but when I was in Benidorm about 4 or 5 years ago there was beggers coming into nightclubs with kids a few months old to beg for cash, again it was organised as the same woman was there for the whole 2 weeks making £50 a night of gulible Brits. Probably some gang leader making woman stand at every corner of the resort begging for cash.

Last year when I was at Benicassim music festival in Spain, two girls aged between 5 and 8 came on the beach to sell us Ecstasy.

[Speedy]

Never seen that programe, but when I was in Benidorm about 4 or 5 years ago there was beggers coming into nightclubs with kids a few months old to beg for cash, again it was organised as the same woman was there for the whole 2 weeks making £50 a night of gulible Brits. Probably some gang leader making woman stand at every corner of the resort begging for cash.

Last year when I was at Benicassim music festival in Spain, two girls aged between 5 and 8 came on the beach to sell us Ecstasy.

It was the same in Zante last year. Loads of them begging, some of them would be trying to grab your food while the rest were probably waiting for an opportunity to empty your pockets.