London pickpocket gang jailed

This trio of miscreants, left to right Simona Feraru, Liviu Feraru, Daniela Cutarida, are a gang of professional pickpockets from Romania, jailed this week for ten months for stealing bank cards at Finsbury Park and Embankment stations this year. In one case Liviu Feraru watched a victim withdraw money from a cash machine noting the card PIN number, then the two women used a Tube map to distract the woman while stealing her card. They used the excuse of changing a £20 note as a distraction while stealing a man’s card at Embankment.

The judge said he would have had them deported but he can’t because Romania is now in the European Union. Getting a ten month sentence means they’ll probably be back on the street and back in business in around four or five, especially if the man in charge of sentencing in Britain, Lord Falconer, gets his way about slashing sentences for thieves and burglars or not giving them jail time at all.

Here are the British Transport Police’s tips for keeping your possessions safe on the Underground.
* Shield your PIN when using a cash point or making purchases
* Ensure valuable items are not visible.
* Carry your rucksacks and hand bags in front of you.
* Do not keep phones and wallets in outer pockets where they are accessible.
* Ensure handbags are fastened.
* Be aware of your bag when boarding a train or going through the ticket barrier as thieves will strike when you are distracted.