Romanian pickpockets live-streamed thefts in Prague; court expelled them from the country
Two Romanian women filmed pickpocketing in Prague and broadcast it live on social media. Police captured the footage in real time, and the court expelled the women from the Czech Republic.
Live broadcast from a pocket: Prague police catch pickpockets and con artists
Two young Romanian women living in Prague set up a special social media account featuring pickpocketing thefts broadcast live. The footage, accompanied by a music track, was watched by viewers with positive reactions – and simultaneously by criminal investigators who were able to monitor the situation in real time. The case was reported by CNN Prima NEWS.
A criminal investigator specialising in pickpockets first noticed the women while walking through the city centre in her free time. A Prague police team dubbed the "Pocket team" subsequently took over the case. The court handed down conditional sentences to the women and expelled them from the Czech Republic.
Concurrent with the pickpockets case, Prague criminal investigators also focused on so-called money-changer con artists. They detained a pair of men who offered passers-by a favourable exchange rate – they handed over counterfeit Belarusian banknotes in exchange for valid Czech crowns. Richard Hrdina, spokesman for Prague police, confirmed to CNN Prima NEWS that the court classified both men's actions as fraud and also expelled them from the country.
Fraudsters offering money exchanges have not been entirely driven from Prague's streets, and new victims continue to appear, with their methods remaining unchanged over years. According to police, the only reliable protection is to exchange cash exclusively in a bank or an authorised exchange office in the centre of Prague.
Source: Google News CZ — Crime (cs)