B Smith: Where have the honest people gone? - 11 March, 2004

Dear Sirs,

I have just returned from Moscow to Britain having enjoyed an excellent visit to see the wonderful sights of Moscow with my Russian wife. We also visited many of her most hospitable friends and family who were most generous and welcoming to me; such friendliness and generosity could not be equalled in any other other city, I am sure.

However, the final part of my visit was spoiled by one or more miserable sub-humans who stole our camera equipment, my wife’s internal Russian passport plus other documents and also all of our digital camera memory cards. These contained all of our photographic images of our visit to Moscow. Consequently, we have returned to the United Kingdom with absolutely no photographic records of our visit. The pathetic thieves who stole these items may now ‘bathe in the glory’ of their success, but perhaps one day a similar or even worse fate will befall them. Such people believe that society owes them something and the only way they can achieve this is to steal from innocent victims.

Needless to say, we reported the theft to the local police who were sympathetic but admitted that we would probably never retrieve the stolen items.

I can recall that the theft happened near the city centre at a cafe which is in fact a London bus which has been converted to a ‘fast food’ outlet. I do not blame the operator of this enterprise. But I must condemn one or more of its clientelle. Of course Moscow is not alone with this kind of ‘sadness’; the same could have happened anywhere else in the world. My lovely wife must now suffer the inconvenience of re-applying for an internal passport and also a new travel pass (which was also stolen) as she is a Russian pensioner.

Where have all the honest people gone ??

B Smith