[size=75:2yfw0avl]Sofia echo 22 February 2010

Veliko Turnovo authorities report sharp rise in robberies

Robberies in Bulgaria's medieval capital, Veliko Turnovo, have peaked in recent weeks, local authorities have said, cited by the Bulgarian national television (BNT) on February 22 2010.

"
Dozens of stores and offices were robbed in the past few weeks,"
the report says. In most cases, the culprits are reported to be "
well organised, armed and cunning"
.

In most cases, stores or offices were robbed by teams of two people. "
While one of them kept watch, the other would seize the day's proceeds from the cash registers, and then they would make their escape before staff could depress the alarm button and alert the authorities."


The situation in the city has got so bad that occasionally there would be "
four robberies in a single hour"
the BNT said.

"
It is ludicrous that you would leave 100 000 plus leva in turnover in the store and a single girl to look after it overnight,"
Stefan Kolev, head of a local security firm, was quoted as saying.

"
They have no protection and there are no steel bars, often the girl will have to deal with drunks, abusive people - all sorts really,"
he added.

The surge in crime has been attributed to the town's rising unemployment. But while the report described the robbers as "
highly skilled and cunning"
in their criminal activities, in the same breath it also branded them as being "
inexperienced and sloppy"
.

Reportedly, most of the thieves were subsequently caught by police before they managed to spend the cash because of their "
inexperience"
- presumably, inability to spend the money covertly or remain inconspicuous.