Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2 3

AIBU?

should we be concerned - sorry may be long

61 replies

debtfreeiwish · 30/08/2011 23:16

my neice went on holiday to turkey on fri for 2 weeks with her daughter who's 3 and 3 female family members,last night she text her mum to say she was getting lots of attention from a couple over her daughter asking lots of q's about her age,her father what he did etc,then they went on to take photo's of her? then when she went to the toilet with her lo she came out to find the bloke standing outside? bit later on a group came over to them and said they had noticed the unwanted attention they were getting and walked them back to their rooms to make sure they were ok?(her mum told her to make it obvious but to get a photo of them)anyway today she took a photo of them in the background and the bloke covered his face,then at lunch when they went into the hall they noticed them sat quite far away so they sat down and then within 5 mins this couple had moved to a table near them?? not heard anymore since but are me and my sister right to be concerned by this or are we overreacting?? thanks mel

OP posts:

Report

AgentZigzag · 30/08/2011 23:21

I would be concerned if their behaviour has been so marked that other people are starting to notice it.

Can they get advice from the hotel?

MollieO · 30/08/2011 23:23

I would second speaking to the hotel or tour rep. What nationality is this couple? Are they locals or tourists?

MollieO · 30/08/2011 23:24

I would also make sure I got a good photo of them both.

ZhenXiang · 30/08/2011 23:28

If it were me given their strange stalking-like behaviour I would be taking photos if possible and asking hotel staff if they are staying there and then contacting the Turkish police. Better safe than sorry.

debtfreeiwish · 30/08/2011 23:28

thank you didn't think we were being paronoid ones russian and the other is iranian,i'v said for her to see the rep x

OP posts:

debtfreeiwish · 30/08/2011 23:34

oh and they've also been seen sat round the pool looking up at the apartment tha they are staying in???

OP posts:

AgentZigzag · 30/08/2011 23:42

Re-reading your OP, most of what you describe could be explained away.

Looking up at the apartment could be them just looking around, the bloke being there when they came out of the toilet doesn't mean anything, they could just have been making small talk asking questions, and some people do want to take piccys of children for innocent reasons.

If they're feeling a bit wary, they're going to be more likely to interpret any encounter they have with the couple along the same lines.

But describing those things and what the situation actually felt like can be two totally different things.

Sometimes it just feels wrong and you can't put your finger on why.

JjandtheBeanlovesUnicorns · 31/08/2011 00:23

If it was me I would leave as fast as I could, we've had bother before similar, blonde hair blue eyes ds is very popular with some cultures and it is scary and intimidating no matter how innoccent!

cjbartlett · 31/08/2011 00:27

Sounds awful
I wouldn't let her out of my sight

LineRunner · 31/08/2011 00:31

I'm sorry for being thick, but what is being suggested here?

AgentZigzag · 31/08/2011 00:35

I guessed at the so far unsaid slight possibility that the couple are taking a sinister interest in the girl LR.

I suppose if someone takes more than a polite interest in your child and you're in an unfamiliar place, it might be more significant to you than when you're at home and feel more in control of the situation.

ilovesooty · 31/08/2011 00:35

How are you so sure of their nationalities?

LineRunner · 31/08/2011 00:38

Well if someone took a creepy interest in my child I'd tell them to fuck off and call the police. My first thought wouldn't be to post it on the internet.

HerHissyness · 31/08/2011 00:40

I'd change hotels to be honest. i really would.

Something is not right. If others have noticed it, seriously there is something obviously amiss.

rimmerfleadick · 31/08/2011 00:40

Linerunner possible child abduction.

HerHissyness · 31/08/2011 00:41

Linerunner - this is Op asking about her NIECE who is on holiday with her 3yo. OP is not in Turkey nor on holiday...

LineRunner · 31/08/2011 00:44

Then I guess the niece who posted it on the internet needs to tell the relative whom all this is happening to, and who texted her about it, to Inform The Police as this is a possible child abduction scenario.

Why would anyone mess about with a possible child abduction scenario?

DioneTheDiabolist · 31/08/2011 00:49

Can the entire holiday party approach this couple and ask them wtf is going on with their behaviour get some photos?

HerHissyness · 31/08/2011 00:50

Aunty posted it on th'internet, Niece texted Aunty's sister, her Mum...

yep, they need to get the Police involved, Embassy/Consulate too?

LineRunner · 31/08/2011 00:51

Sorry I mean the OP whose niece...

OP, please advise your neice to tell the police. It's not much use texting and posting. If people are creeping your family out, being odd or a nuisance, and creating a fear of abduction, then there's no use telling us, they need to tell the local police.

Seriously. Police.

kelly2000 · 31/08/2011 01:23

Contact the local police pronto. I would also ignore the couple, and just not engage them.maybe it is innocent and they are just an odd couple, but why risk it for the sake of being rude to strangers.

tiredgranny · 31/08/2011 06:15

do you think the police in turkey would be interested they do not have a very good record
i would ask the rep if they could change hotels

LaLaLaLayla · 31/08/2011 06:39

Different cultures have different attitudes towards children. Iranians love kids and it is not unusual for a complete stranger to come up to your child and kiss its feet, for instance. They don't have the same paranoias that we have. I would bear this in mind.

That said, I would get a picture of the couple and I would keep a very wary eye on my DC. But that is because I am extremely overprotective, but because I would necessarily be worried about this couple.

freybean · 31/08/2011 08:22

i would get them to speak to the hotel

is your neice blonde by any chance?

youarekidding · 31/08/2011 08:38

I agree with LaLa Soome cultures are all over children as they don't have the whole 'he breathed 2 feet from my baby' mentality. When my pale, strawberry blonde DS who was born abroad was in hospital the MV's always came for a cuddle and took him to show him off!

IF the couple are being innocent they wouldn't mind say having a photo for neices LO holiday scrap book! IF they refuse I would perhaps start the bells ringing.

Perhaps mention in passing they are going to X place today and go elsewhere (not popular spot) and if they turn up again they are trailing not just happening upon the same places.

Flip

1 2 3

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.