Pickpocket
I saw my first pickpocket in Paris yesterday. I was sitting in the train at one of the Metro stops. I had my Ipod on so I didn’t hear what was going on at first, but I had this feeling that there was commotion going on somewhere nearby. I looked over my shoulder outside the train and saw a girl being interrogated by two older guys, she couldn’t have been older than 10 or 12 years old.
I was too far to hear what they were actually saying but by the body language I could tell they were accusing her of something. All of a sudden she reaches under her coat and throws a black wallet on the ground and starts to run the opposite direction which happened to be right by the window I was sitting behind. People started yelling and pointing at her. Two girls, almost simultaneously, slammed this pickpocket up against the side of the train causing her to shriek. They pulled her off to the side where there were some seats and the two older guys came over to continue talking to her. I was expecting this girl to be in tears, but she wasn’t, she immediatly struck back verbally, presumably defending herself.
At this point the train doors closed and we left the station. I have to assume that this girl picks pockets pretty regularly because being verbally and physically punished didn’t phase her one bit. This was just a reminder for me to no matter how much I love Paris, I’m not immune to the crime. I’m probably a better target being an Ex-Pat.
drama!