If you thought pickpockets only existed in India, think again. Popular Paris landmark, Eiffel Tower, remained close to public for most part of Friday amid workers walking out in protest against the growing number of pickpockets operating on the monument.
Protesting staff complained that the pickpocket gangs had increasingly become a real menace. They mingled with the visiting tourists at the tower and stole whatever they could.
The workers said that they came across several victims. often Asians, everyday. Chinese tourists in particular are known for carrying plenty of cash while on the move.
A BBC report said that the management of the Eiffel Tower was sorry for the disruption and that it was working closely with Paris police to try to reinforce security.
This is not the first time staff have protested complaining about pickpockets. In 2012, workers at the Louvre had staged a similar walkout stating that rising number of pickpockets in the Paris museum’s galleries was becoming unbearable for the visitors.
A report published in the British newspaper The Guardian quoted Denis Vavassori of the CGT union as saying that the workers wanted a permanent police presence. “It is a growing problem. There were always pickpockets at the Eiffel Tower but now we are really facing an organised group,” he said.
This walkout at the Paris-based monument happened only a day after the Paris authorities said violent theft was down 25% and pickpocketing was down 23% in the first four months of 2015, compared with the same period last year.