Belgrade smash 'n' grab becomes YouTube hit

Belgrade smash 'n' grab becomes YouTube hit
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February 20, 2008
A video of two young women looting with abandon during rioting in the Serbian capital Belgrade was becoming a Balkan smash hit on the video-sharing site YouTube on Friday.

Police arrested some looters, but public humiliation by YouTube may prove a far more painful punishment for the pair, whose spree on Thursday night was also aired on local television stations and was being discussed across the Internet.

A persistent amateur cameraman followed the women as they loaded up with chocolates at a corner shop, came out giggling, then went after designer bags, shoes, and clothes at Belgrade's swankiest stores in its vandalized main shopping street.

"Get lost, stop filming," one of them shouted, so laden down with booty that clothes and bags dripped to the ground amid the broken glass below emptied storefronts.

"But you are the heroines of this protest for me," the cameraman replied sarcastically above the din of burglar alarms.

Looters seized their chance as rioters attacked Western embassies during a mass rally to protest U.S. and European support for Kosovo's independence.

The second woman covered her face with a pair of looted shoes when she saw she was being filmed.

"Have you found your size yet?" asked the cameraman.

YouTube viewers were not amused.

"Shame on you," was the general message of hundreds of comments about the women's behavior, though most used unrepeatable vocabulary.

The video was titled "Swapping Kosovo for a pair of sneakers" and the person who posted it, "Gvantanamo," gave a description:

"Belgrade bimbos exploit unrest to steal from smashed-up boutiques without the slightest shame. They are so greedy they even have to carry things in their teeth."

The next day text-message jokes about the video and the looting swept around Serbia.

"Swap you 11 left Nikes for 11 left Reeboks," read one.

Story Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 2 comments (Page 1 of 1)
The Loot
by Eskiegirl302 February 23, 2008 5:46 AM PST
This is some big news??? They totally raped baghdad with looting because of lawlessness after 911. This happens all over the world, yet two people from Belgrade get filmed and it becomes a hit? This is annoying. This piece says "Police arrested some looters". When hurricane Katrina happened, looting was 10 times what this was. Even the Police who were supposed to protect the citizens were doing it. No protection there. AND on top of that government contracted police (Blackwater) came in and took away the only protection the citizens of New Orleans had -- their guns. No police in new orleans, and no protection for those citizens, because they had nothing to defend themselves with against would be looters at their doorsteps. Our second amendment right infringed upon because of our lawless government. When are people going to wake up?
Reply to this comment
Ha, you forgot the looter dude:
by Donkey 2.0 February 23, 2008 10:16 AM PST
http://www.beerlooterdude.net/ He was the New Orleans looter icon. So, these girls are the Serb version of him. I don't know what they are saying on the video, but the whole thing is kinda funny, all chaos around, and they with the utter most tranquility do their "shopping". Hey, fee is hard to beat bargain.
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