the eXiLe
05-07-2007, 04:12 AM
Police officers have been handed a special translation guide to help them deal with Romanian crime suspects, it emerged yesterday.
The initiative has been introduced to tackle a crime-wave involving East European thieves and pickpockets who are targeting London's West End. Since Romania joined the EU in January, thefts and handbag snatches have soared as organised crime gangs and beggars trawl the streets in the hunt for cash and valuables.
When stopped by police, most Romanian suspects claim they cannot speak English - hindering investigations into their activities.
In a bid to help overcome the problem, 1,600 officers in Westminster have been issued with a ten-point guide to the Romanian language so they can communicate more effectively with Eastern Europeans seen acting suspiciously.
The form - officially called "Stop and Search translated into Romanian Language" - features ten basic questions that suspects should be asked.
They include the Romanian version of "Excuse Me!" (Scuzati-ma!), "Can I have a word with you?" (Pot sa vorbesc cu tine) and "Can I ask what you are doing in this area?" (Pot sa intreb ce faceti in zona aceasta).
Others include "Please tell me your surname and forename" (va rog sa-mi spuneti numele de familie si prenumele) and "Signature, please!" (Semnati aicai v rog!)
Each Romanian translation is accompanied by a phonetic version to help officers pronounce the question correctly.
However rank and file officers have complained that there is a fundamental flaw in the well-intended scheme - what should they do if a suspect answers back in Romanian?
One said: "Some of us have enough problems speaking English correctly, let alone trying to converse in Romanian.
"If a suspect answers back in Romanian, or indeed any other foreign language that we are not familiar with, we are no further forward.
"Some of the lads say they have no idea what language someone is answering back in, let alone whether they are telling the truth.
"There is no doubt that this scheme was well-intended. Unfortunately there was not a plan B.'
A Scotland Yard spokesman said:
"Since the beginning of this year there has been an increase in thefts of personal property in public places across Westminster.
"We have carried out a number of pro-active operations to tackle this issue, working closely with Westminster City Council and local businesses.
"During operations to tackle this issue, we have made a number of arrests.
"An important part of any investigation is identifying the minority of people involved, anything that assists us in the investigation, and helps us to bring the small number of perpetrators to justice we will use.
"We have issued officers across the borough with a guide note when dealing with members of the Romanian community in order that the officers can actively pursue enquiries more effectively."
Police have deployed extra patrols and instigated "in your face" policing tactics in a bid to curb the increase in offences by Romanians, who in police jargon are officially known as "non-visible ethnic communities".
Many of those arrested are serial offenders who were deported from Britain as illegal immigrants before Romania joined the EU on January 1.
Up to date crime figures were not available last night.
However in January, there were 545 pickpocket offences committed in Westminster, compared to 454 during the corresponding period last year.
On London's Tube system, there were 544 theft offences committed in January, compared to 494 in same month last year. Of 27 people arrested for pickpocketing offences on the underground during that month, 22 were of Eastern European origin.
Detectives believe that dozens of gangs of pickpockets - working in groups of three - have arrived from Romania since the start of the year and are preying "full-time" on shoppers and passengers in central London and on the Tube.
In many cases, the gangs include a mother and young child who play a key role in distracting victims.
With almost military precision, the thieves use well-rehearsed tactics to rob people of cash.
Typically, they "shoulder-surf" a member of the public at a cash machine to get his pin number.
Once cash has been withdrawn, a gang member will deliberately bump into their target to distract him.
During the commotion, the victim's purse or wallet is stolen and credit card used almost immediately to withdraw the maximum amount of cash.
Police say that dozens of opportunist thieves from Romania, who are homeless, are also operating in central London.
They trawl streets, restaurants, bars and coffee shops on a daily basis looking for victims.
Last July a leaked Home Office report suggested that up to 140,000 migrants from Romania and Bulgaria would head to Britain, including 45,000 potential criminals.
These were identified by immigration officials as having links to crime, immigration offences and passport fraud. Their names were circulated on a confidential "warnings" index' circulated among Whitehall officials.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=453108&in_page_id=1770
The initiative has been introduced to tackle a crime-wave involving East European thieves and pickpockets who are targeting London's West End. Since Romania joined the EU in January, thefts and handbag snatches have soared as organised crime gangs and beggars trawl the streets in the hunt for cash and valuables.
When stopped by police, most Romanian suspects claim they cannot speak English - hindering investigations into their activities.
In a bid to help overcome the problem, 1,600 officers in Westminster have been issued with a ten-point guide to the Romanian language so they can communicate more effectively with Eastern Europeans seen acting suspiciously.
The form - officially called "Stop and Search translated into Romanian Language" - features ten basic questions that suspects should be asked.
They include the Romanian version of "Excuse Me!" (Scuzati-ma!), "Can I have a word with you?" (Pot sa vorbesc cu tine) and "Can I ask what you are doing in this area?" (Pot sa intreb ce faceti in zona aceasta).
Others include "Please tell me your surname and forename" (va rog sa-mi spuneti numele de familie si prenumele) and "Signature, please!" (Semnati aicai v rog!)
Each Romanian translation is accompanied by a phonetic version to help officers pronounce the question correctly.
However rank and file officers have complained that there is a fundamental flaw in the well-intended scheme - what should they do if a suspect answers back in Romanian?
One said: "Some of us have enough problems speaking English correctly, let alone trying to converse in Romanian.
"If a suspect answers back in Romanian, or indeed any other foreign language that we are not familiar with, we are no further forward.
"Some of the lads say they have no idea what language someone is answering back in, let alone whether they are telling the truth.
"There is no doubt that this scheme was well-intended. Unfortunately there was not a plan B.'
A Scotland Yard spokesman said:
"Since the beginning of this year there has been an increase in thefts of personal property in public places across Westminster.
"We have carried out a number of pro-active operations to tackle this issue, working closely with Westminster City Council and local businesses.
"During operations to tackle this issue, we have made a number of arrests.
"An important part of any investigation is identifying the minority of people involved, anything that assists us in the investigation, and helps us to bring the small number of perpetrators to justice we will use.
"We have issued officers across the borough with a guide note when dealing with members of the Romanian community in order that the officers can actively pursue enquiries more effectively."
Police have deployed extra patrols and instigated "in your face" policing tactics in a bid to curb the increase in offences by Romanians, who in police jargon are officially known as "non-visible ethnic communities".
Many of those arrested are serial offenders who were deported from Britain as illegal immigrants before Romania joined the EU on January 1.
Up to date crime figures were not available last night.
However in January, there were 545 pickpocket offences committed in Westminster, compared to 454 during the corresponding period last year.
On London's Tube system, there were 544 theft offences committed in January, compared to 494 in same month last year. Of 27 people arrested for pickpocketing offences on the underground during that month, 22 were of Eastern European origin.
Detectives believe that dozens of gangs of pickpockets - working in groups of three - have arrived from Romania since the start of the year and are preying "full-time" on shoppers and passengers in central London and on the Tube.
In many cases, the gangs include a mother and young child who play a key role in distracting victims.
With almost military precision, the thieves use well-rehearsed tactics to rob people of cash.
Typically, they "shoulder-surf" a member of the public at a cash machine to get his pin number.
Once cash has been withdrawn, a gang member will deliberately bump into their target to distract him.
During the commotion, the victim's purse or wallet is stolen and credit card used almost immediately to withdraw the maximum amount of cash.
Police say that dozens of opportunist thieves from Romania, who are homeless, are also operating in central London.
They trawl streets, restaurants, bars and coffee shops on a daily basis looking for victims.
Last July a leaked Home Office report suggested that up to 140,000 migrants from Romania and Bulgaria would head to Britain, including 45,000 potential criminals.
These were identified by immigration officials as having links to crime, immigration offences and passport fraud. Their names were circulated on a confidential "warnings" index' circulated among Whitehall officials.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=453108&in_page_id=1770