As the Careless Order a Latte, Thieves Grab Something to Go

[Keith Bee]

Source: New York Times

Distraction and extraction. These are the skills, timeless, of thousands of thieves who work in New York, without a weapon and without attracting notice.

Where in the city can such a thief visit dozens of happy hunting spots on an afternoon’s walk, finding rooms crowded with people staring at laptops or iPads, or texting or talking on phones, and ignoring their purses? A place so comfortable and familiar, with its jazz, leather chairs and Wi-Fi, that customers, otherwise savvy to the city’s dangers, do not think twice about saving a round blond-wood table with a bag or a laptop while they stand in line?

You may be there now, with a grande caffè mocha.

Starbucks shops are ubiquitous in New York, a respite for tourists and professionals young and old, and while the city’s criminal trends come and go and ebb and flow, there remains a steady march of handbags from those shops in someone else’s hands.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/nyregion/here-comes-your-starbucks-latte-there-goes-your-laptop.html?hp

---

Schadenfreude, baby! :rofl:

[jaxx]

1. Hmmm I fail to see the funny part.

[KittyWampus]

2. apparently the OP'er thinks people who hang out in coffee shops deserve to be victims?

[hlthe2b]

11. or at least those who hang out in Starbucks... or NYC Starbucks...

Hmmm... I wonder which it is...:eyes:

[demmiblue]

3. Unrec n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Why is this amusing?

[Ptah]

5. I'll take heartless bastard for $500, Alex.

:thumbsdown:

[mod mom]

6. +1

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[demwing]

13. c'mon, thats not required

you can express displeasure with more civility, right?

[dionysus]

8. i don't think this thread is going to go like you planned...

[Heidi]

9. My wallet was stolen from my purse on March 2 while I was looking at hams in the grocery store.

Shame on me for looking at hams.

(By the way, I got a letter from the "Ministero pubblico" last week. They caught the two ladies who stole my wallet. I was among almost 50 victims. Shame on all of us.)

[hlthe2b]

10. So, Keith Bee

Do you take great pleasure from all the misfortune that befalls others? Is that your thing? :eyes:

[AlabamaLibrul]

12. Low-down people are not exclusive to NYC Starbucks

May you receive all the laughs you can get, while you can.

[REP]

14. Malicious joy at people being pick-pocketed. How very very clever and smart!

[Liberal_in_LA]

15. Folks, who have never seen me before, are always asking me to watch their laptop and stuff

while they go into the restroom.

[Quantess]

16. WHY is this supposed to be funny? At all?