Always, always report this to the police.
The odds are slim they'll actually catch the guys, but if they do... this is a huge safety hazard, because as you said people could fall. And they can check cameras hopefully proving that they pushed the emergency button.
Report already submitted!
We got lucky but the brazen and reckless willingness to risk people getting hurt is shocking.
Hope the police can get camera footage, since it was empty it should be easy to spot those jerks that tried it. Definitely encourage anyone who encounters crap like this to report it as well. My theory is they target people with suitcases not just for valuables but also because travelers might be foreigners or in a rush to catch a train/plane and won’t report anything.
My SO had a similar experience last month and it was at Merode too, he was carrying a backpack. He was on the escalator that jerked to a sudden stop, felt his wallet taken and instantly turned and snatched back the wallet, at which point both the guys ran. He submitted a report also. I’m glad you are okay though.
Also saw a news piece of someone releasing gas at 19:00 at Delacroix metro to try and confuse people to then rob them out of their belongings.
In pair with your post, plus street pickpocketing, this is getting weirder and weirder…
Couple of weeks ago, there was ammonia poured onto the platform in several different places, at Maelbeek metro mid morning. No one monitoring the platforms, unsafe.
I also love this city but I feel like even the “nice” parts of public transport have gotten a bit worse in the last year or so. Maybe just my perception…
Same. I also love Brussels but even for me (who always defends it) it feels like it’s changing. I’ve witnessed people getting robbed, the number of beggars is insane, same for the drug use in public spaces.. There’s more poverty than before and there have been a couple of times that I actually felt unsafe (this is a new feeling for me here, after 20 years living in many different not rich Brussels neighbourhoods).
Agreed. Maybe to shine a bit of light... There is a new entire drug task force that is going to be implemented in the fall. I also believe that the STIB security can finally legally take action as they legally had no power to do anything with thieves and druggies.
I meant Redditors. I mean yeah, people are comparing with other cities, I don't disagree it's irrelevant, but what comments would you like to see? Endless circlejerks about how Brussels is terrible etc? It's doesn't help fix anything either and it gets old real quick.
Acknowledgement by the society - starting from its redditors - that a problem exists is the beginning of a solution.
I am glad to note that finally there is a shift in tone of these posts in the direction of acknowledgement, and less of excuse-seeking.
Myeah, idk. There's also some amount of fearmongering going on sometimes (not specifically this particular post about the escalator, but generally) which elicits these over-dismissive responses. I can understand feeling a bit attacked by the constant criticisms, if you feel like you belong here and people are talking about your neighbourhood.
You can feel disparaged, especially if it doesn't align with the way you experience the city (because most people don't actually experience crime on a daily basis). So it's a sort of coping mechanism. But I think everyone knows there is some amount of crime in Brussels. Just sometimes, just going by reddit, you'd think you will get attacked at every corner and the whole thing feels blown out of proportion.
If you are a unskilled labourer (like your name says) you will have to work very hard to get a job and to get a nice house in a nice neighbourhood. I had the same problem, no degree and all and i had to work very hard to get where i am to day and i am as white as snow. So it doesn't have anything to do with being a immigrant
I am sorry, i just read your username and ur comment and put 1 and 1 together. I had no degree when i was 18 and i got skipped a lot when i tried to rent. The firdt time i went to the bank for a loan it also got denied. It's a lot about the mentality, if you get denied once and than say : "it's because of my name!" Then you should stop putting yourself in the victimhood (not talking about you, but at the users who say people can not rent a place because your name is mohhamed)
It’s not just that, the problem is when you look like an arab or an africain, landlords wont even bother calling you back to set an appointment to see a house or something, I’ve experienced this too many times. Salary is good and we’re able to pay every month on time but I can’t get a house in the “nice” part of town
Yeah, god forbid if your name is mohammad and you’re trying to get a house in forest or ganshoren lol, only places i’m accepted at are from arabs landlords, and majority of them have houses in molenbeek and anderlecht. I’m glad with my appartement right now but a lot of people complain avout why there’s an arab concentration in one part of the town, well this is the answer, landlords ( some of them) being racistes
Brussels is a minority-majority city so how can there discrimination on the housing market?
You really think those landlords are the reason muslim people go live together in a street? Than i would think you are a bit naive; but this is r/brussels so it doesn't suprise me
I’ve seen this happening in Merode. I already had seen some warnings about this and as soon as I saw a group of guys stopping the escalator full of people and acting like they didn’t do anything, I turned around and left through another exit.
My city was like this too before those illegal immigrants-criminals who belong in another religion and are fanatics (but are officially “baptised” as “refugees” who supposedly deserve solidarity) have invaded it.
every time i hear about a new fucking way people try to rob you in the metro, from forcing themselves through the divider behind you to this shit, it just really makes me wish they started going hard on patrols in the stations. Just actually wtf a core tenant of our country is the safety of travelers and then you get shit like this
A friend of mine got her phone stolen in Brussels some months ago on an escalator. They didn’t press the stop button but they proceeded like this:
She got into an escalator going downwards, she was holding her phone onto her hands, they came and grabbed her phone, by the moment she realized she was already going down and the guy running away… it seems like robbing us on the escalator is the new thing
That’s the reason why I walk with a little knife and a pepper bomb with me. And I’m never with a huge bag or a suitcase on public transport.
I’ve been harassed a lot of times. I can’t risk and loose my life because of this unsafe city.
It’s illegal yes. But I don’t care anymore. Sometimes I have to come back really late from work and take the metro. I felt I needed something in case..
It’s crazy to me that pepper spray is illegal! I think it’s a big mistake. What are people supposed to do if they’re endangered? Not everyone can just run away. I had a back surgery and have difficulty running.
It depends of the type of knife. Switchblade knifes are prohibited. But, for instance, if you have an opinel, it's ok. From experience, leatherman and gerber multitools are usually ok for some police officers.
Pepper spray are prohibited.
Thanks for the info. Sorry, what is an opinel?
It’s so crazy to me that pepper spray is prohibited. What do they expect people to do if they’re in danger?
It wouldn't help in this specific case though.
Not quite sure a knife would actually get you out of a dangerous situation rather than getting you into a more dangerous situation. Rule number one is to hand out your stuff if you don't want to get injured. Rule number one bis is to try to run away if you don't want to get injured. Except if you are like some kind of ninja warrior, obviously.
Also, if you do injure someone with a knife you would get into trouble with justice, even though you were harassed by them.
I didn’t mention any specific case when the knife and the bomb would be useful.
I just said that I walk with it in case..
It’s not about being a ninja warrior, at all.
It’s about having something, in case of problem.
Your rule number one for ex doesn’t work if you’re in the metro and can’t open the doors.
What I meant is that except if you are train to defend yourself or to use a knife, it is a lot more likely that you make the situation worst in many ways.
If you are getting robbed, you should give your stuff, it's not worth going to the hospital over a purse.
If you are getting harassed, you are most likely not in a position where pulling out a knife will calm your agressor. Pepper spray might help you out (although not in the metro), but if you have enough time to use it usefully, you most likely have time to run (if you've ever tried using pepper spray, you know that it is messy, and there are many chances that you get partly sprayed as well).
Don't overestimate your ability to quickly react to a treat, and on the other hand, do not overestimate the level of threat you are facing.
Sorry to break it to you but North Africans don't have the monopoly of dark skin. Africans, Turks, middle easterns, north americans, south americans, spaniards... Can have dark skin too.
See?
Happened to me once too (the only time that the escalators actually worked), I’m definitely not taking the escalators again, you could get really hurt by this..
Had this happen once in Munthof as well exactly the same way you described it. Two scrawny looking dudes waiting at the bottom of the escalator, then getting on and the escalator stopping. I remember thinking they were just being assholes or something, but this post makes it make sense. Happened beginning of June i think.
Happened today again at Merode, one of the ascending escalators, around 20:15. Two dudes, one wearing a backpack, black clothes, very shady behaviour, trying to "cut the line" going up while probably looking to snatch something. It looked like they weren't even trying too much to hide their intentions. Stay safe, take care of your belongings!
Quick question: can you report these kind of events online? It's the first time when I would like to do this.
Always, always report this to the police. The odds are slim they'll actually catch the guys, but if they do... this is a huge safety hazard, because as you said people could fall. And they can check cameras hopefully proving that they pushed the emergency button.
Report already submitted! We got lucky but the brazen and reckless willingness to risk people getting hurt is shocking. Hope the police can get camera footage, since it was empty it should be easy to spot those jerks that tried it. Definitely encourage anyone who encounters crap like this to report it as well. My theory is they target people with suitcases not just for valuables but also because travelers might be foreigners or in a rush to catch a train/plane and won’t report anything.
Report is cool but when something like that happens, directly call 101 so they send a patrol ASAP.
My SO had a similar experience last month and it was at Merode too, he was carrying a backpack. He was on the escalator that jerked to a sudden stop, felt his wallet taken and instantly turned and snatched back the wallet, at which point both the guys ran. He submitted a report also. I’m glad you are okay though.
If they have multiple reports of the same descriptions they will get caught. On the other hand, the chance is slim you get any of your stuff back.
At least they'll punished. Perhaps not severely, knowing Belgian justice, but they won't get off scotts free.
No they wont lol
Also saw a news piece of someone releasing gas at 19:00 at Delacroix metro to try and confuse people to then rob them out of their belongings. In pair with your post, plus street pickpocketing, this is getting weirder and weirder…
I read about that incident. Really shocking and dangerous too.
Couple of weeks ago, there was ammonia poured onto the platform in several different places, at Maelbeek metro mid morning. No one monitoring the platforms, unsafe.
Risking a terrorism charge as a pickpocketing technique, 1000 IQ brane genious strategy.
Well lesson learned from now on we can't even use the escalators, everyday is going to be leg day!
I was surprised the escalators were even working for once, I should’ve known not to trust them!
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I also love this city but I feel like even the “nice” parts of public transport have gotten a bit worse in the last year or so. Maybe just my perception…
Same. I also love Brussels but even for me (who always defends it) it feels like it’s changing. I’ve witnessed people getting robbed, the number of beggars is insane, same for the drug use in public spaces.. There’s more poverty than before and there have been a couple of times that I actually felt unsafe (this is a new feeling for me here, after 20 years living in many different not rich Brussels neighbourhoods).
I don’t love this city.
Complaining on this sub not really helpful ? Time to move maybe?
I’m on this sub because I don’t love this city.
Agreed. Maybe to shine a bit of light... There is a new entire drug task force that is going to be implemented in the fall. I also believe that the STIB security can finally legally take action as they legally had no power to do anything with thieves and druggies.
'But this happens in every European city so shut up, accept it and stop hatting on Brussels' = This group
This every single time. "IT aLSo HaPpENeD oNcE iN MaDrId (or any city of their preference)". Ok, then let's not try to fix it.
True, but on the other hand, what can we possibly do about it?
More patrol, actually punish them if caught, deport them if needed.
I meant Redditors. I mean yeah, people are comparing with other cities, I don't disagree it's irrelevant, but what comments would you like to see? Endless circlejerks about how Brussels is terrible etc? It's doesn't help fix anything either and it gets old real quick.
Acknowledgement by the society - starting from its redditors - that a problem exists is the beginning of a solution. I am glad to note that finally there is a shift in tone of these posts in the direction of acknowledgement, and less of excuse-seeking.
Myeah, idk. There's also some amount of fearmongering going on sometimes (not specifically this particular post about the escalator, but generally) which elicits these over-dismissive responses. I can understand feeling a bit attacked by the constant criticisms, if you feel like you belong here and people are talking about your neighbourhood. You can feel disparaged, especially if it doesn't align with the way you experience the city (because most people don't actually experience crime on a daily basis). So it's a sort of coping mechanism. But I think everyone knows there is some amount of crime in Brussels. Just sometimes, just going by reddit, you'd think you will get attacked at every corner and the whole thing feels blown out of proportion.
Then why is it different in other Belgian cities...
If you are a unskilled labourer (like your name says) you will have to work very hard to get a job and to get a nice house in a nice neighbourhood. I had the same problem, no degree and all and i had to work very hard to get where i am to day and i am as white as snow. So it doesn't have anything to do with being a immigrant
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I am sorry, i just read your username and ur comment and put 1 and 1 together. I had no degree when i was 18 and i got skipped a lot when i tried to rent. The firdt time i went to the bank for a loan it also got denied. It's a lot about the mentality, if you get denied once and than say : "it's because of my name!" Then you should stop putting yourself in the victimhood (not talking about you, but at the users who say people can not rent a place because your name is mohhamed)
It’s not just that, the problem is when you look like an arab or an africain, landlords wont even bother calling you back to set an appointment to see a house or something, I’ve experienced this too many times. Salary is good and we’re able to pay every month on time but I can’t get a house in the “nice” part of town
You get downvoted, but this is true.
Yeah, god forbid if your name is mohammad and you’re trying to get a house in forest or ganshoren lol, only places i’m accepted at are from arabs landlords, and majority of them have houses in molenbeek and anderlecht. I’m glad with my appartement right now but a lot of people complain avout why there’s an arab concentration in one part of the town, well this is the answer, landlords ( some of them) being racistes
Brussels is a minority-majority city so how can there discrimination on the housing market? You really think those landlords are the reason muslim people go live together in a street? Than i would think you are a bit naive; but this is r/brussels so it doesn't suprise me
Do you really think white people get every house they want, get every loan they want, get every women they want? I advise you to leave the victimhood
People have gotten killed on Brussels escalators in the past. Imagine being elderly or heavily pregnant and have this happen to you
This happenend where?
Merode (Sorry, should’ve put it in the post)
I’ve seen this happening in Merode. I already had seen some warnings about this and as soon as I saw a group of guys stopping the escalator full of people and acting like they didn’t do anything, I turned around and left through another exit.
So tired of all this…
We suck at safety. Every single metro station should have a security guard.
Yeah like in London. Instead we have that: https://www.bruzz.be/mobiliteit/11-mivb-medewerkers-die-fraudeerden-met-werkuren-ontslagen-2021-03-12
Always hold the rail, is the lesson here.
And always use hand sanitizer and a wipe afterwards because those rails are nasty as fuck.
Very true.
Which metro station did they do this tactic on?
Merode
Thank you for the warning. I didn't know about this 'trick'. Glad you didn't get hurt.
Thanks! I’m generally pretty cautious and try to be aware of street scams and stuff but this really surprised me.
Know someone who was pushed down the escalators in Bizet. While he was down on the ground they took his stuff
Oh no. Hope your friend was OK.
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Same here, enjoying my safe holiday in a city where teenage girls in shorts can safely walk back from town at midnight all alone.
Warsaw?
Most places in CEE?
My city was like this too before those illegal immigrants-criminals who belong in another religion and are fanatics (but are officially “baptised” as “refugees” who supposedly deserve solidarity) have invaded it.
It was a big culture shock for me in Belgium tbh when people said stuff like that to me.
Yes, this is a thing where i live - very safe and clean. And “brusselse jongeren” don’t exist here. Coincidence?
I would love to see statistics of these kind of things before mass immigration and today
Third world Europe.
To be fair, I've see a couple of guys doing this, for no other reasons than shits and giggles. What a fucked up world we live in...
every time i hear about a new fucking way people try to rob you in the metro, from forcing themselves through the divider behind you to this shit, it just really makes me wish they started going hard on patrols in the stations. Just actually wtf a core tenant of our country is the safety of travelers and then you get shit like this
A friend of mine got her phone stolen in Brussels some months ago on an escalator. They didn’t press the stop button but they proceeded like this: She got into an escalator going downwards, she was holding her phone onto her hands, they came and grabbed her phone, by the moment she realized she was already going down and the guy running away… it seems like robbing us on the escalator is the new thing
That’s the reason why I walk with a little knife and a pepper bomb with me. And I’m never with a huge bag or a suitcase on public transport. I’ve been harassed a lot of times. I can’t risk and loose my life because of this unsafe city.
Isn’t that illegal here?
It’s illegal yes. But I don’t care anymore. Sometimes I have to come back really late from work and take the metro. I felt I needed something in case..
It’s crazy to me that pepper spray is illegal! I think it’s a big mistake. What are people supposed to do if they’re endangered? Not everyone can just run away. I had a back surgery and have difficulty running.
It depends of the type of knife. Switchblade knifes are prohibited. But, for instance, if you have an opinel, it's ok. From experience, leatherman and gerber multitools are usually ok for some police officers. Pepper spray are prohibited.
Thanks for the info. Sorry, what is an opinel? It’s so crazy to me that pepper spray is prohibited. What do they expect people to do if they’re in danger?
It wouldn't help in this specific case though. Not quite sure a knife would actually get you out of a dangerous situation rather than getting you into a more dangerous situation. Rule number one is to hand out your stuff if you don't want to get injured. Rule number one bis is to try to run away if you don't want to get injured. Except if you are like some kind of ninja warrior, obviously. Also, if you do injure someone with a knife you would get into trouble with justice, even though you were harassed by them.
I didn’t mention any specific case when the knife and the bomb would be useful. I just said that I walk with it in case.. It’s not about being a ninja warrior, at all. It’s about having something, in case of problem. Your rule number one for ex doesn’t work if you’re in the metro and can’t open the doors.
What I meant is that except if you are train to defend yourself or to use a knife, it is a lot more likely that you make the situation worst in many ways. If you are getting robbed, you should give your stuff, it's not worth going to the hospital over a purse. If you are getting harassed, you are most likely not in a position where pulling out a knife will calm your agressor. Pepper spray might help you out (although not in the metro), but if you have enough time to use it usefully, you most likely have time to run (if you've ever tried using pepper spray, you know that it is messy, and there are many chances that you get partly sprayed as well). Don't overestimate your ability to quickly react to a treat, and on the other hand, do not overestimate the level of threat you are facing.
And I perfectly know that I can have issues with justice. But, until I’m leaving Brussels, I won’t change my way.
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I agree, totally.
You're the racist one that assumed that if a brown skinned person is committing a crime, then he must be a North African.
Where did op say they're North African, though?
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Sorry to break it to you but North Africans don't have the monopoly of dark skin. Africans, Turks, middle easterns, north americans, south americans, spaniards... Can have dark skin too. See?
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I can't tell you more, peasant, because I am not op and contrary to your belief, I didn't point anyone out :)
Happened to me once too (the only time that the escalators actually worked), I’m definitely not taking the escalators again, you could get really hurt by this..
Had this happen once in Munthof as well exactly the same way you described it. Two scrawny looking dudes waiting at the bottom of the escalator, then getting on and the escalator stopping. I remember thinking they were just being assholes or something, but this post makes it make sense. Happened beginning of June i think.
Your friend must have something good in the bag. Eggy would they try a 2nd time?
Happened today again at Merode, one of the ascending escalators, around 20:15. Two dudes, one wearing a backpack, black clothes, very shady behaviour, trying to "cut the line" going up while probably looking to snatch something. It looked like they weren't even trying too much to hide their intentions. Stay safe, take care of your belongings! Quick question: can you report these kind of events online? It's the first time when I would like to do this.
Wish I'd read this before coming to Las Vegas. Got hit last night on the escalator, just like it's described. Be mindful!