Post by sinkinthesand on Dec 10, 2005 15:08:16 GMT -5
Sorry, I just more or less copied my lj entry. Maybe you'll bother to read my long account. I hope so...I need some hugs.
- I went out to do some grocery shopping and did that quite happily. Bought some more French food for my parents (that's what I want to give them for Christmas). Afterwards I didn't have any more cash, so I went to the bank to draw some money. I swear, I didn't see anybody watching me type my code. Then I went down the street and got assaulted for the first time, by an African guy who looked like 14. He came running towards me and tried to snatch off my purse. I always clutch it close to my body and I managed to keep it, even though I got hit in the face. My lips started to bleed a bit. After seconds of fighting that seemed endless to me, a man intervened and told the guy to stop and let me go. Yes, I still had my purse and was shocked, but sort of *relieved*.
Mind: It was 11:30 am and I was on the sidewalk of a busy street.
- I went on and crossed a small park close to the residence. I had never been afraid to walk there, it's not one of these sinister parks where you feel uneasy. I saw some black guys sitting on a bench, but didn't even think that I would get assaulted yet again. I walked on for maybe 20 meters and all of a sudden someone grasps me from behind, putting his hand over my mouth and trying to get my purse. Needless to say, I didn't have any chance (even if I've done a self-defense course) with three plastic bags and my purse on me. And I was all alone, unfortunately no one crossed the way. There were only some people watching from the windows of the hotel nearby who couldn't do anything, of course. Yes, I tried to defend myself, but in the end he had me falling to the ground and my purse was his. I just begged him to give me back my documents and my keys (the residence doors function with swipecards). He said, yeah okay, I'll take your money and give you back the rest, just stay on the ground, if not, I'll hit you again. I was on the ground asking him why the fuck he was doing this to me, that I'm just a student and don't have much money myself. Besides the around 50-60 Euros I had with me, he also stole my bank card.
- Giving me back my keys was his mistake because I could immediately return to my room, look up the emergency number for stolen bank cards on the Internet and call my bank to block my account. He was very quick, though. He had already drawn 550 Euros! Nevertheless, I could prevent him from trying to buy a Playstation with my card later. I got such a shock. The man on the phone told me that I would probably be able to claim it back, but still...Unfortunately, I didn't have much credit on my cellphone any more and the conversation with the bank employee was cut off. I left my room and saw one of my housemates in the hall. He is my proof that not all African people are bad because he was really nice and let me use his cellphone and gave me advice on what to do. Especially go to the police. He accompanied me outside and thankfully there was a whole bunch of policemen at the flea market nearby, so we talked to them. I gave them the description of the guy and my name in case they would find a bank card with this name on it. They told me to not have to much hope, though. I should also go to a police station to report the crime. So I went to the commissariat and stayed there for an hour to get down all the details. The man was so incredibly nice and I was really glad that my French was good enough to provide an accurate description of the incident and the criminal. Then...what a surprise. Another policeman arrived and said that some colleagues of it had caught the fucking thief with my bank card and with the money he had drawn from my account. It doesn't always happen that they find the criminals, so I was incredibly lucky. It took a load of my mind, I can tell you! 600 Euros is sooooo much money for me.
- Next step: Go to the police station in Saint Denis where the asshole. The metro ride seemed to take forever and I felt very weak because I hadn't drunk anything at all for a long time and because of the shock. I wonder how I managed to find this police station in my state. I was welcomed by a very nice head officer, he was happy that I was German because his wife was a translator for German and because he would go to Cologne next week. Strategy to calm me down a bit. And he gave me some juice to drink, badly needed. Then I was led into another room where another guy took down the story once again. And then I had to...look through a little window where three black guys were lined up in a room with numbers in their hands. First I thought they look all the same. No offense, but I have difficulties in recognizing black people. Then I remembered that the guy who assaulted me was tall and indeed, the one on the right was taller than the others. He was asked to step forward and I was sure. Indeed, that was the one who had confessed stealing my belongings. So I was right.
- The fucking thief is only 17 years old. I had thought he was around my age. He already committed a couple of crimes of various kinds. The man to typed my report told me that French law sucks, that many young criminals only get warnings and that they would only have to go to prison if they commited a lot of bad crimes.
- His father had to appear before the police. I heard how the head officer scolded him. I understood only parts of it, but basically reminded him of his obligations as a father and that he should look after his son. That it was a shame for his family and for Africa. When the two came out of the office, I was sitting there and the head officer said, look, this is the young lady that your son assaulted. I almost started to cry, I was trembling. The father...I don't know...He said something like, yes, that's such a shame and shook his head. I can't really remember. When the father was gone, the head officer asked me if I was okay. Oh yeah, sure. Always trying to be strong. He said that he would get this guy behind bars, even if he hadn't attained full age.
- I spent almost 3 hours at this place because I was supposed to wait for the judge to call back (I don't really know why I had to wait for this, I didn't have energy to get all the details any more). The judge was so busy, though, that they sent me home. I think the police will call me one of these days to give me info on what happened with the guy and to give me back the rest of my money (only the COINS that were in my wallet). I didn't know the exact amount, it was maybe 10€, but I shit on this money. I have my 600 Euros and my card back, that's what counts.
- Made myself a nice dinner, with Tarte au Citron as a dessert to feel a bit better. I do feel better, but I still feel like shit. I wish that I had somebody here who would give me a big hug.
- I won't go shopping in this area again, even if there's the cheap LIDL, for example. And I'll never cross the park again. I'll also carry my teargas during the day, not only at night. I will be super attentive every time I draw money. What else can I do. Things like that happen, I guess. Bad luck. I'm devastated, but I can't change it. I'm so thankful that I got my money back and I hope this fucker goes to prison. I hope that something like this won't happen again. I don't feel safe any more.
- I think these people are awful. I "understand" that they don't have much money and that they want to have Playstations and everything, but that is no reason to assault an innocent person like me who doesn't have much money herself. To give her something bad to think of all her life.
- I went out to do some grocery shopping and did that quite happily. Bought some more French food for my parents (that's what I want to give them for Christmas). Afterwards I didn't have any more cash, so I went to the bank to draw some money. I swear, I didn't see anybody watching me type my code. Then I went down the street and got assaulted for the first time, by an African guy who looked like 14. He came running towards me and tried to snatch off my purse. I always clutch it close to my body and I managed to keep it, even though I got hit in the face. My lips started to bleed a bit. After seconds of fighting that seemed endless to me, a man intervened and told the guy to stop and let me go. Yes, I still had my purse and was shocked, but sort of *relieved*.
Mind: It was 11:30 am and I was on the sidewalk of a busy street.
- I went on and crossed a small park close to the residence. I had never been afraid to walk there, it's not one of these sinister parks where you feel uneasy. I saw some black guys sitting on a bench, but didn't even think that I would get assaulted yet again. I walked on for maybe 20 meters and all of a sudden someone grasps me from behind, putting his hand over my mouth and trying to get my purse. Needless to say, I didn't have any chance (even if I've done a self-defense course) with three plastic bags and my purse on me. And I was all alone, unfortunately no one crossed the way. There were only some people watching from the windows of the hotel nearby who couldn't do anything, of course. Yes, I tried to defend myself, but in the end he had me falling to the ground and my purse was his. I just begged him to give me back my documents and my keys (the residence doors function with swipecards). He said, yeah okay, I'll take your money and give you back the rest, just stay on the ground, if not, I'll hit you again. I was on the ground asking him why the fuck he was doing this to me, that I'm just a student and don't have much money myself. Besides the around 50-60 Euros I had with me, he also stole my bank card.
- Giving me back my keys was his mistake because I could immediately return to my room, look up the emergency number for stolen bank cards on the Internet and call my bank to block my account. He was very quick, though. He had already drawn 550 Euros! Nevertheless, I could prevent him from trying to buy a Playstation with my card later. I got such a shock. The man on the phone told me that I would probably be able to claim it back, but still...Unfortunately, I didn't have much credit on my cellphone any more and the conversation with the bank employee was cut off. I left my room and saw one of my housemates in the hall. He is my proof that not all African people are bad because he was really nice and let me use his cellphone and gave me advice on what to do. Especially go to the police. He accompanied me outside and thankfully there was a whole bunch of policemen at the flea market nearby, so we talked to them. I gave them the description of the guy and my name in case they would find a bank card with this name on it. They told me to not have to much hope, though. I should also go to a police station to report the crime. So I went to the commissariat and stayed there for an hour to get down all the details. The man was so incredibly nice and I was really glad that my French was good enough to provide an accurate description of the incident and the criminal. Then...what a surprise. Another policeman arrived and said that some colleagues of it had caught the fucking thief with my bank card and with the money he had drawn from my account. It doesn't always happen that they find the criminals, so I was incredibly lucky. It took a load of my mind, I can tell you! 600 Euros is sooooo much money for me.
- Next step: Go to the police station in Saint Denis where the asshole. The metro ride seemed to take forever and I felt very weak because I hadn't drunk anything at all for a long time and because of the shock. I wonder how I managed to find this police station in my state. I was welcomed by a very nice head officer, he was happy that I was German because his wife was a translator for German and because he would go to Cologne next week. Strategy to calm me down a bit. And he gave me some juice to drink, badly needed. Then I was led into another room where another guy took down the story once again. And then I had to...look through a little window where three black guys were lined up in a room with numbers in their hands. First I thought they look all the same. No offense, but I have difficulties in recognizing black people. Then I remembered that the guy who assaulted me was tall and indeed, the one on the right was taller than the others. He was asked to step forward and I was sure. Indeed, that was the one who had confessed stealing my belongings. So I was right.
- The fucking thief is only 17 years old. I had thought he was around my age. He already committed a couple of crimes of various kinds. The man to typed my report told me that French law sucks, that many young criminals only get warnings and that they would only have to go to prison if they commited a lot of bad crimes.
- His father had to appear before the police. I heard how the head officer scolded him. I understood only parts of it, but basically reminded him of his obligations as a father and that he should look after his son. That it was a shame for his family and for Africa. When the two came out of the office, I was sitting there and the head officer said, look, this is the young lady that your son assaulted. I almost started to cry, I was trembling. The father...I don't know...He said something like, yes, that's such a shame and shook his head. I can't really remember. When the father was gone, the head officer asked me if I was okay. Oh yeah, sure. Always trying to be strong. He said that he would get this guy behind bars, even if he hadn't attained full age.
- I spent almost 3 hours at this place because I was supposed to wait for the judge to call back (I don't really know why I had to wait for this, I didn't have energy to get all the details any more). The judge was so busy, though, that they sent me home. I think the police will call me one of these days to give me info on what happened with the guy and to give me back the rest of my money (only the COINS that were in my wallet). I didn't know the exact amount, it was maybe 10€, but I shit on this money. I have my 600 Euros and my card back, that's what counts.
- Made myself a nice dinner, with Tarte au Citron as a dessert to feel a bit better. I do feel better, but I still feel like shit. I wish that I had somebody here who would give me a big hug.
- I won't go shopping in this area again, even if there's the cheap LIDL, for example. And I'll never cross the park again. I'll also carry my teargas during the day, not only at night. I will be super attentive every time I draw money. What else can I do. Things like that happen, I guess. Bad luck. I'm devastated, but I can't change it. I'm so thankful that I got my money back and I hope this fucker goes to prison. I hope that something like this won't happen again. I don't feel safe any more.
- I think these people are awful. I "understand" that they don't have much money and that they want to have Playstations and everything, but that is no reason to assault an innocent person like me who doesn't have much money herself. To give her something bad to think of all her life.
