Subte Robbery Alert (C Line)

[victoria]

What I was hoping to find out from others is if this robbery mode---the person blocking the subte door and the door closing on people--has happened to others? It would be helpful to know before I make my report to the subte police. It would prove there's a pattern in a specific place (though I do appreciate the empathy and the stories ... there's power in knowledge).

And I DO think the train conductor was involved. I've never seen a subte door open and close in the blink of an eye like that. It was highly unusual. Corruption can extend beyond just the person with his hand in your purse. Ask any Porteno.

 

[brocolliandtea]

You're right Victoria. I think its interesting and useful to find out if its happened to others. We have discussed scams here before and some are very common like the bird poop one. One attempted pickpocketing happened at the same stop where you were. This large woman had a sweater over her arm, she shoved me getting in and tried to pick my pocket. I looked down and caught her. I shouted loudly while pointing at her "thief, theif, she tried to rob me". and repeated it. She had just gotten on, but got off at the next station. Now I caught her, identified her to the other passengers and she probably does this all the time. I could have come back in an hour with a cop and found her.

Is there a solution? I think she must be sucessful often enough and she can often be found at these same locations and they never work alone so there were 1 or more I didnt see. What can be done? I like what I did. All argentines I know have crime stories. Casually bring it up with your argentine friends. Just ask them. You might be surprised how many have crime stories and how awful some of them are, like being taken captive and force to drive to ATM machines etc.

The cops are part of the problem here. They are a problem. Many times they are together with the criminals. Many times they are no better than mafia as when the top officials in a police station instruct cops to shake down businesses for bribes with threats. Thats not a poor cop trying to make some extra money, thats a mafia. A federal branch mafia.

 

[sesamosinsal]

What I was hoping to find out from others is if this robbery mode---the person blocking the subte door and the door closing on people--has happened to others? It would be helpful to know before I make my report to the subte police. It would prove there's a pattern in a specific place (though I do appreciate the empathy and the stories ... there's power in knowledge).

And I DO think the train conductor was involved. I've never seen a subte door open and close in the blink of an eye like that. It was highly unusual. Corruption can extend beyond just the person with his hand in your purse. Ask any Porteno.

How often do you ride the Subway, victoria? The mass pileup you described happens all.of.the.time. And at 9 de Julio? Psh, ni hablar...

You live and learn, I suppose. I'm back in the United States for a few months. I still feel my pockets every 2 seconds. At any intersection where the light is red, I pound the locks on my car, even if they're already locked. I'm always on edge, always paranoid, and have a harder time trusting anyone. I was never like this 2 years ago, before I started my stints in BsAs.

 

[Gonzo]

Sorry this happened. The best advice is never take luggage on the subway. You hardly ever see it in the first place and it's almost always foreigners when you do. Use a taxi when you're dragin' da bags!

Just some info: my girlfriend works at a hostel where taxi services are offred to guests. They had to switch contracts with taxi companies. Apparently the taxi drivers, after picking up foreigners, had accomplices waiting at particular points in the city. They stop at a red light, for example, then their buddies approach the taxi to rob you. Taxi driver then plays the stupid card, pretends to be scared & doesn't drive off until the accomplices finish taking what they want.

Just keep it in mind. Stick to nice, clean looking Radio Taxi's with ads on the doors.

 

[Gonzo]

How often do you ride the Subway, victoria? The mass pileup you described happens all.of.the.time. And at 9 de Julio? Psh, ni hablar...

You live and learn, I suppose. I'm back in the United States for a few months. I still feel my pockets every 2 seconds. At any intersection where the light is red, I pound the locks on my car, even if they're already locked. I'm always on edge, always paranoid, and have a harder time trusting anyone. I was never like this 2 years ago, before I started my stints in BsAs.

Actually I know what she is talking about. This happened to me. The lady next to me was robbed. Usually the subte door opens & some people walk in or out of the subte. When it happened to me, NO ONE could get in, as if 2 or 3 people bum rush you on their way out of the subte, pushing you with arms & shoulders, while another pickpockets you.

 

[Gonzo]

Beware of the 9 de Julio Subte station, where you switch to the C Line to go to Retiro.

I was on my way to the big bus terminal in Retiro, pulling my suitcase and carrying another bag as well. The diversion is this: as you try to enter the car someone deliberately stands in front of the door to hold up passengers from entering, and at the same time the train conductor closes the door on the entering people, creating panic and confusion. I believe the train conductor did it deliberately, because I've never had that happen before.

In the ensuring pile up of people I had an eBook taken from my purse, which was zippered shut. I actually had to push my way through the crowd and manually keep the door from closing on me.

I believe the thief or thieves target people headed for the Retiro bus station who have luggage and have a lot of items to keep track of ... I usually hold my purse to my chest but because of my baggage I was unable to do that.

Tomorrow I'll make a report to the subway police. I don't know if any investigation will take place, but I strongly believe the train conductor works in concert with the thieves.

From now on, I'm going to tie my purse zipper shut with a twisty. I'm lucky I had my money, debit card and passport secured in a travel pouch beneath my skirt.

Has anyone else been robbed in this way?

I saw a robbery take place in this same fashion, but it was last year & I dont remember exactly what station it was on, but it was while transferring near the Line C. The doors opened, I was trying to get in, but maybe 2 or 3 thieves were pushing out, I (fed up w/ the busy city life) aggressively rammed through their "barricade" & turned around (almost wanting to start a fight) looking for whoever was pushing me. All I see was a woman yell "They robbed me, someone stole my purse!" & she tried to chase someone, being left behind by the subte.

 

[orwellian]

Just some info: my girlfriend works at a hostel where taxi services are offred to guests. They had to switch contracts with taxi companies. Apparently the taxi drivers, after picking up foreigners, had accomplices waiting at particular points in the city. They stop at a red light, for example, then their buddies approach the taxi to rob you. Taxi driver then plays the stupid card, pretends to be scared & doesn't drive off until the accomplices finish taking what they want.

Just keep it in mind. Stick to nice, clean looking Radio Taxi's with ads on the doors.

Like the movie Pizza, birra, faso

 

[victoria]

Ah well, thanks everyone. Why do we feel stupid when we get robbed? That's the worst part, and also dealing with the anger. Some of you will remember that my teenage son was robbed at gunpoint while visiting me at Christmas, so some of my anger is retroactive from that incident.

It's not like I'm not street smart--I was born and raised in Detroit (though we didn't have a subway). In Detroit it was all about guns. Life in the inner city was always predatory. That's one of the reasons I moved to Minnesota. It's no fun to live in fear, as BradleyHale so accurately describes. Is this the price for living in any big city?

I think In BA, because I'm walking and taking public transport, I'm feeling unprotected by not being in my own vehicle (though a car in front of my house had its window smashed and glove box robbed in the daytime). Is car jacking a problem here?

Is the safest mode of transportation the collectivo?

 

[emilyr]

Like the movie Pizza, birra, faso

I love this movie! I caught it a few months ago when it played late one night on Canal 7. The ending for the cordobés and his girfriend was incredibly moving.


And, Victoria, thanks for sharing your story; it is high travel season for all porteños and this may mean thieves are looking more for people with bags. Sorry this happened to you. A traumatic event is a traumatic event, no matter how small or insignificant it seems we should feel about it and even if the outcome is not a large financial loss.


As all the stories on this thread show, these people are professionals who use tactics to confound and attack otherwise streetwise, savvy people like yourself. They attacked your sense of security, not just your bag. I also have local friends who are terrified of getting pick-pocketed on the public transit because they know just how good these thieves are. Even though most people here-like anywhere in the world-are honest and good, the question is more like when, not if, will we get robbed. You are not stupid; lightning just struck where you were.

 

[Dolly]

Unfortunately Victoria I think the colectivo is just as bad. I take many colectivos every day to get around town for my work and have personally experienced many attempts to pick pocket me. About 2 years ago, they took my cellphone from my bag. As I'm so obsessed with looking out for it now, I'm always holding my bag close to me, never use my MP3 on transport etc I've been safe since, but have had people with coats over their arm try to pull at the zip on my bag, oor put their hands in my pockets - on the colectivo and at the bus stop.