Avoiding Theft in Europe

[BadPinkTink]

@Carrie in AZ
righty lets get back on track

Im not sure if this has been mentioned but one thing I always do is to separate things. By this I mean I put money in one pocket, phone in another, camera in a bag etc etc. Most petty theft, muggings etc are opportunistic and are quick and fast. They will dip a hand in a bag or pocket take what they can and disappear fast. If you separate out, you may lose your phone but you will still have your money etc etc

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I live in Ireland and our Police Force do not carry guns. and we have a very low level of general public who own guns, gun owning is not part of constitution and we have very strict gun laws. In my country our klds are safe in school and will never have to deal with the type of mass shootings so common in USA!

Yes we have ghetto areas, yes we have drug problems, yes we have crime but our Police Force functions without guns, criminals are caught, crimes are solved, people go to jail.

In my country guns are NOT necessary for law enforcement

You are lucky to live in a place like Ireland where crime is not a problem.

 

[Kate_45]

My second point is that if you are pointing to London as an example where police operate effectively without guns, I definitely disagree. London has one of the highest crime rates in the world. That wasn't always the case, but it is today. I only pulled one article, but there are numerous articles on this.

I didn't point to London. You did. I said "my country."
You brought up London (highest murder rate in my country) and New York (not the highest murder rate in your country). You brought up murders as an indicator of crime during a discussion of pickpocketing.


The UK, along with many countries in Europe, mange just fine without policemen routinely carrying guns. Crimes are solved, people are held to account. It is not some perfect crime free utopia, but it is definitely effective. They have nice peaceful rural areas and they have inner city problems like everywhere. But, and this bit is crucial, there is absolutely no evidence that having police walking around with guns would lower the crime rate. Countries with armed police do not have lower crime rates.

Saying that London has one of the highest crime rates in the world is not only unhelpful but factually incorrect. It does not.


A couple of bits of reading if you are generally interested, or a quick google search brings up lots, it is a often discussed topic.

A response to the article you quoted - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...me-teenagers-statistics-figures-a8286866.html

A discussion piece, unfortunately connected to the general gun control debate, but good stats and all sources and methodology included - https://dispellingthemythukvsusguns.wordpress.com/ The original poster will be pleased (well probably not pleased, but you get my meaning) to see that theft is something that's high in the uk so worrying about avoiding theft in Europe is valid.

 

[Kate_45]

You are lucky to live in a place like Ireland where crime is not a problem.

That is not what she said. Saying that you don't need guns to address crimes is not the same as saying crime is not a problem.

I'm out. You're not listening.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I didn't point to London. You did. I said "my country."
You brought up London (highest murder rate in my country) and New York (not the highest murder rate in your country). You brought up murders as an indicator of crime during a discussion of pickpocketing.


The UK, along with many countries in Europe, mange just fine without policemen routinely carrying guns. Crimes are solved, people are held to account. It is not some perfect crime free utopia, but it is definitely effective. They have nice peaceful rural areas and they have inner city problems like everywhere. But, and this bit is crucial, there is absolutely no evidence that having police walking around with guns would lower the crime rate. Countries with armed police do not have lower crime rates.

Saying that London has one of the highest crime rates in the world is not only unhelpful but factually incorrect. It does not.


A couple of bits of reading if you are generally interested, or a quick google search brings up lots, it is a often discussed topic.

A response to the article you quoted - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...me-teenagers-statistics-figures-a8286866.html

A discussion piece, unfortunately connected to the general gun control debate, but good stats and all sources and methodology included - https://dispellingthemythukvsusguns.wordpress.com/ The original poster will be pleased (well probably not pleased, but you get my meaning) to see that theft is something that's high in the uk so worrying about avoiding theft in Europe is valid.

Not everyone is going to have the same opinion as you do. That's okay. It is what makes the world go around. I happen to feel more comfortable when there are armed police in certain cities. It seems like you do not agree that places are safer when police are armed. That's okay. You don't have to agree with me.

 

[Kate_45]

Ok I'm not out, sorry. Don't want to make this go on and on.

I think here we're talking about two separate things. Perception of safety and facts about safety.
You feel more comfortable when police are armed - an absolutely valid opinion and something I would never argue with. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was suggesting that that way you feel is not valid or somehow an incorrect feeling to have.

But no, you're right. I do not agree that that places are safer when police are armed. They are not. That is the truth, there are statistics to prove it. But you are right in saying that some people feel safer. That is also true.

Let's be friends.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

That is not what she said. Saying that you don't need guns to address crimes is not the same as saying crime is not a problem.

I'm out. You're not listening.

I never said I addressed every point in her statement. lol. My response isn't a thesis. I do think she is lucky to live in a place where crime isn't a big problem. I appreciate her comments. Yes, I haven't fully unpacked them, but they are interesting. I don't want to get further off topic.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Ok I'm not out, sorry. Don't want to make this go on and on.

I think here we're talking about two separate things. Perception of safety and facts about safety.
You feel more comfortable when police are armed - an absolutely valid opinion and something I would never argue with. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was suggesting that that way you feel is not valid or somehow an incorrect feeling to have.

But no, you're right. I do not agree that that places are safer when police are armed. They are not. That is the truth, there are statistics to prove it. But you are right in saying that some people feel safer. That is also true.

Let's be friends.

I really appreciate your comment, and I am sorry if I was ever too forceful in my opinion. I do understand where you are coming from.

 

[AquaDame]

Understanding each other or not I agree this thread is going off track and I'm going to go ahead and close it as OP has definitely gotten their answers here and then some. I don't want the thread to continue down this political path any further.