[Albion] Supporter victims of theft in Athens.

[Herr Tubthumper]

Unfortunately this seems to be a regular occurrence for travelling fans.

Prior to the Euro League draw I was talking to a Utd friend, who goes on a few trips a season to get some tips on where to avoid, and tips on travelling, and one of the themes that came up was the number of Utd fans who seem to lose/have stolen passports and wallets while overseas.

Given the rain in Amsterdam I wasn't too concerned as all valuables where under several layers of clothing, but in Athens in any crowded area, I was always weary and spent most of the time with my hands firmly in pockets to deter would be thieves.

It's not so much the loss, but the hassle that follows in terms of replacement passport, cancelling bank/credit cards, or these days the loss of mobile.

This isn’t just football fans though; everyone needs to have their wits about them in touristy places.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

This isn’t just football fans though; everyone needs to have their wits about them in touristy places.

You’re right of course but football fans, especially younger more naive ones, on the razz with their mates for 2 or 3 days, are probably better targets than seasoned travellers. I saw quite a few people totally out of their heads in Athens. They were all Brighton fans and not mainstream tourists.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

This is why I warned you all a couple of weeks ago. I’m sorry some of you became victims.

 

[HHGull]

I got a cab Saturday morning and driver drove off and said cash only, tosser. Stopped at atm, I got €60 out and put it in pocket. Got to airport and gave him all the cash I had, 3 x 5 euros. I then had to get another €50 out to pay him. I'm now waiting on atm to notify monzo that the wrong money was given. I have to wait 7 days before making a claim.

Good luck with that!

 

[Guinness Boy]

Nope, had a bit of a warm negotiation with a taxi driver outside the James Joyce.
We'd spent €5 getting there, he wanted €15 for a lift home.
He walked off before coming back with a €10 counter offer.
All too late, apart from that it all went nicely.
Great trip .

Sounds like our worst moment in Amsterdam. Trying to get a cab back to the hotel from Grasshopper, 15 Euros max in an Uber on the way in, the first bloke quoted 55 to get home . I suppose it was quite late.

We wandered off to look for a place to pick up an Uber and the bloke who was behind him in the queue caught us up and said he'd do it for 20.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Paging @LeTiss

A mad story.

 

[Driver8]

Other than when picking up my ticket my passport stayed safe and sound in the hotel safe. I invested in a money belt for our Europa travels to keep cash, tickets etc well hidden. Also kept my driving licence in it in case of need for ID.

 

[HeaviestTed]

Sounds like our worst moment in Amsterdam. Trying to get a cab back to the hotel from Grasshopper, 15 Euros max in an Uber on the way in, the first bloke quoted 55 to get home . I suppose it was quite late.

We wandered off to look for a place to pick up an Uber and the bloke who was behind him in the queue caught us up and said he'd do it for 20.

After a night out in Amsterdam I’ve only ever walked home to my hotel (I think)

 

[Guinness Boy]

After a night out in Amsterdam I’ve only ever walked home to my hotel (I think)

No, that was the problem. "Some time" after midnight, hotel somewhere in the Leidersplien from De Wallen, likely to be hit by a goddamned bike at least three times on the walk.

20 sheets well spent.

 

[Eeyore]

Someone once tried to rob me after a match at Preston. Well actually, there were three of them. 'Give me your wallet' he said. Now anyone who knows me will be aware that the last thing I part easily with is cash. I simply looked at the bloke and said 'No' and walked away. I think they were a bit startled and slinked off.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Someone once tried to rob me after a match at Preston. Well actually, there were three of them. 'Give me your wallet' he said. Now anyone who knows me will be aware that the last thing I part easily with is cash. I simply looked at the bloke and said 'No' and walked away. I think they were a bit startled and slinked off.

Lucky that wasn't today, really.

One of them would have filmed it, another posted it on youtube with some commentary bigging themselves up. Lancashire's finest would have picked them up six months later when someone tagged them into a quote Tweet and the CPS would have chucked it out for lack of evidence. The lad's mum would have been all over Facebook insisting that Tyler Robber-Mugger was a lovely kid really, who loved his old nan and his XL Bully.

 

[Eeyore]

Lucky that wasn't today, really.

One of them would have filmed it, another posted it on youtube with some commentary bigging themselves up. Lancashire's finest would have picked them up six months later when someone tagged them into a quote Tweet and the CPS would have chucked it out for lack of evidence. The lad's mum would have been all over Facebook insisting that Tyler Robber-Mugger was a lovely kid really, who loved his old nan and his XL Bully.

If it was today the buggers would have stuck a knife in me. Still wouldn't have given it to them though, it's got the village cricket fixtures tucked inside.

It was a strange series of matches that year (92/93). We had trouble at four North-West matches in a row. Away from the ground incidents. I think Wigan was where someone got a clobber from an NF bloke. I'm not sure what it's like these days. But it seems more aggressive out there. Bolton and Oldham (no surprise) I think were the others.

 

[Guinness Boy]

If it was today the buggers would have stuck a knife in me. Still wouldn't have given it to them though, it's got the village cricket fixtures tucked inside.

It was a strange series of matches that year (92/93). We had trouble at four North-West matches in a row. Away from the ground incidents. I think Wigan was where someone got a clobber from an NF bloke. I'm sure what it's like these days. But it seems more aggressive out there. Bolton and Oldham (no surprise) I think were the others.

IMO it's much more likely that there'll be 'trouble', by which I mean coked up bellends doing the 'hold me back' dance and throwing some lightweight plastic, videoing the whole thing and claiming to The Away Fans and 'hooligans.cz' that they won once they're safe.

The number of actual punches thrown are down 95%.

 

[JamieR]

As I was one of those, having my phone pickpocketed, I was wondering how many of us fell victims to theft on the AEK trip?

Presumably you reported it stolen to your mobile phone provider within 24 hours. If you do, any subsequent calls will be capped at £100 and the reason for this is that they will remove your sim and use it to phone premium rate overseas numbers linked to criminal gangs.

I had my phone lifted whilst on the tram in Athens last year and within 5 minutes they were calling premium rate numbers in Uganda. Phone lock makes no difference if they remove sim. That's why I now have sim lock activated on my phone and a cap on charges outside my allowance. More often then not they'll chuck your phone in the bin, the value is in the sim.

 

[Eeyore]

IMO it's much more likely that there'll be 'trouble', by which I mean coked up bellends doing the 'hold me back' dance and throwing some lightweight plastic, videoing the whole thing and claiming to The Away Fans and 'hooligans.cz' that they won once they're safe.

The number of actual punches thrown are down 95%.

Well, yes. I keep hearing about this cocaine thing from all sides. I've never got that, it's such a dirty and aggressive drug. Maybe they should try MDNA instead like they did at raves. The huge round of applause at the announcement of the away attendance coming from the North Stand would be a sight to behold. They would have to bring that back.

'The referee's not very good, but we appreciate him trying...'

 

[Weststander]

Someone once tried to rob me after a match at Preston. Well actually, there were three of them. 'Give me your wallet' he said. Now anyone who knows me will be aware that the last thing I part easily with is cash. I simply looked at the bloke and said 'No' and walked away. I think they were a bit startled and slinked off.

A disappointing end to your story …. I was hoping for “two were left on the ground, the third run away”

 

[Guinness Boy]

Well, yes. I keep hearing about this cocaine thing from all sides. I've never got that, it's such a dirty and aggressive drug. Maybe they should try MDNA instead like they did at raves. The huge round of applause at the announcement of the away attendance coming from the North Stand would be a sight to behold. They would have to bring that back.

'The referee's not very good, but we appreciate him trying...'

Charlie off, Mandy on, Michael Keaton on the bench.

 

[Weststander]

Presumably you reported it stolen to your mobile phone provider within 24 hours. If you do, any subsequent calls will be capped at £100 and the reason for this is that they will remove your sim and use it to phone premium rate overseas numbers linked to criminal gangs.

I had my phone lifted whilst on the tram in Athens last year and within 5 minutes they were calling premium rate numbers in Uganda. Phone lock makes no difference if they remove sim. That's why I now have sim lock activated on my phone and a cap on charges outside my allowance. More often then not they'll chuck your phone in the bin, the value is in the sim.

What about a cap on the sim’s tariff, shirley that prevents c@nts from giving you a big bill.

 

[essbee1]

Dogshit covered razor blades in your pockets can help.

 

[Weststander]

Unfortunately this seems to be a regular occurrence for travelling fans.

Prior to the Euro League draw I was talking to a Utd friend, who goes on a few trips a season to get some tips on where to avoid, and tips on travelling, and one of the themes that came up was the number of Utd fans who seem to lose/have stolen passports and wallets while overseas.

Given the rain in Amsterdam I wasn't too concerned as all valuables where under several layers of clothing, but in Athens in any crowded area, I was always weary and spent most of the time with my hands firmly in pockets to deter would be thieves.

It's not so much the loss, but the hassle that follows in terms of replacement passport, cancelling bank/credit cards, or these days the loss of mobile.

I lost all respect at that point and refused to read the rest