However we had been being cautioned about what was as soon as the capital of the British Empire and now nonetheless considers itself a primary world metropolis: London. And virtually each Indian who had been there previously 12 months corroborated our son's concern. Some even went so far as to exhort us to consider a safer place to go to. Reykjavik, possibly? How about Abu Dhabi? And even Taipei maybe?
It was laborious to consider London as being the “crime capital” of Europe now, having been there numerous occasions over the previous 30 years with nary a pilfered pochette. However issues have clearly modified. Not solely do vacationers now not have the choice to get 17% VAT refunded on purchases, they're most probably to be relieved of their valuables, notably cellphones, it appears.
Almost 40% of cellphone thefts in Europe occur within the UK now, based on studies within the media, and greater than 40% of these telephones are stolen in London. No surprise cellphone theft claims have risen by 425% since 2021. And as if to stress this doubtful distinction, London's Metropolitan Police proudly introduced it had busted the biggest cellphone theft gang this week!
The gang had allegedly smuggled over 40,000 stolen telephones to China previously 12 months and the newest raid had led to the restoration of two,000 purloined gadgets. However even that astounding quantity -40,000-is simply half the full variety of telephones stolen in London alone previously 12 months. The thieves get £300 per snatched cellphone and as soon as smuggled to China and reset, they fetch rather more.
So, not in contrast to the white linen-suited sahibs watching out for nimble-fingered urchins within the teeming markets of the Orient a century in the past, we discovered ourselves preserving a climate eye out for silent younger males on e-bikes on Oxford Avenue round Selfridges and even in Soho. And we saved our backs towards partitions whereas checking Google Maps to forestall being waylaid.A involved cabbie even requested us if our son, daughter-in-law and their pals “knew about London” when he heard them telling us they most popular to stroll again after dinner. “It isn't secure, you recognize,” he stated. “They might get mugged even on a well-lit road.” Dad and mom' (and cabbies') warnings are invariably ignored however fortunately they returned with their possessions intact.There have been different apparent indicators of change in London too: A extra “various” demographic on the streets, extra “unEnglish” sounds and smells. However extra worryingly, pavements and virtually any type of doorway morphing into homeless shelters come dusk. There have been soup kitchens at road corners and warnings by staffers on trains to not fall for the sob tales of “skilled” beggars.
London's mayor was in Mumbai final month and the British PM went earlier this week; The same old platitudes had been exchanged concerning the similarities between the 2 cities. West Bengal's chief minister has famously promised to show Kolkata into London. All I can say, with my cellphone firmly tucked in my pocket in London, is that Indian leaders needs to be cautious what they want for.
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