Pick-pocketing on the rise on Berlin trains
More passengers are falling victim to crime on Berlin’s public transport. The number of pick-pocketing cases has increased by 20 percent in a year, the police said on Monday.
Berlin police said crime increased by 11.5 percent in the last year with the number of people being pick-pocketed going up from 4,910 to 5,850.
And crime on the city's U-Bahn and trains rockets on weekend nights, the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper reported.
Police spokesman Meik Gauer said the thieves targeted a certain type of victim.
“Most of these incidents take place at the weekend when people are drunk at night after visiting clubs and get the train and are helpless because of the alcohol," he said.
Thieves often cut open passengers' bags and pockets with razor blades or Stanley knives, he added.
Gauer said: “A lot of the time the victim is unconsciously helping the thief when, for example, they wear headphones. The criminal then just has to follow the cable to the iPhone.”
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Berlin police said crime increased by 11.5 percent in the last year with the number of people being pick-pocketed going up from 4,910 to 5,850.
And crime on the city's U-Bahn and trains rockets on weekend nights, the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper reported.
Police spokesman Meik Gauer said the thieves targeted a certain type of victim.
“Most of these incidents take place at the weekend when people are drunk at night after visiting clubs and get the train and are helpless because of the alcohol," he said.
Thieves often cut open passengers' bags and pockets with razor blades or Stanley knives, he added.
Gauer said: “A lot of the time the victim is unconsciously helping the thief when, for example, they wear headphones. The criminal then just has to follow the cable to the iPhone.”
READ MORE: Berlin bids to put energy grid back in public hands
The Local/tsb
Follow us on Twitter @thelocalgermany
Like The Local Germany on Facebook
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