VENEZIA For thirty years they have been busy “disturbing”, stopping and reporting the gangs of pickpockets and pickpockets that are rampant in Venice. Now, however, after dozens of reports to the emergency numbers of the police without a response in time, the Citizens’ Committee don’t get distracted has decided to stop starting Thursday. For now, the suspension of the garrison activities will last a week, but without countermeasures from the authorities in charge of security (read, more patrols to be decided to fight pickpocketing) the “strike” could continue indefinitely.
And, this is certain, in the coming days the number of people in the city who will forever have bad memories of their visit to Venice will grow.
« This painful decision – they wrote – was taken following the exponential and uncontrolled increase in organized criminal gangs of delinquents, thieves, pickpockets, and scammers who are increasingly aggressive and violent and who daily invade Venice.
After numerous and daily reports of pickpockets by our Cnd committee, having noted the evident lack of personnel in the Police Force, it was decided to temporarily suspend our activity. The situation is completely out of control and Venice is at the mercy of criminals. We hope for greater and heartfelt involvement from the Authorities and citizens in this regard.”
Every day there are stories of people being relieved. In recent days there has been a real raid behind Piazza San Marco, between Ascension and Calle Larga XXII Marzo. There are people who have been threatened for having discovered that they were robbing a relative and the threats to the Non distratti are countless. One of them, fresh from the news, was threatened yesterday. And it is news from the last month that Monica Poli, the social spokesperson of the committee, was attacked in Piazzale Roma after a Rom had sprayed pepper spray in her eyes. By now the arrogance of the gangs has reached extreme levels. To those who try to send them away, the men respond by lowering their pants.
“Enough – says one of the most active Cnd – the situation is unsustainable, also because of the changes in the law that made pickpocketing not punishable. In any case, it cannot be that a city like Venice has a constant shortage of patrols. The last one? The other day there was someone stealing from apartments in San Filippo and Giacomo, we called and no one came. Those from the shops – he concludes – called 112, 113, local police and the answer is always the same: there are no patrols free. It’s not their fault, but the State cannot abandon Venice”.
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