Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Peru: Supermarket shopping carts sold for 100 soles in Lima

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Thieves in Lima are finding alternatives to pick pocketing unsuspecting pedestrians and stealing cars. Everything from manhole covers to supermarket shopping carts are now being stolen.

In a report issued by a local television station Thursday morning, it was known that thieves are stealing supermarket shopping carts and reselling them for as much as 100 soles.

With hidden cameras placed under their jackets, reporters went to Emancipación Avenue in downtown Lima, where everything from appliances to secondhand books are sold, to purchase a stolen shopping cart.

Several establishments stated it was safe to purchase the stolen carts, assuring police would not take them. "Police are around here everyday and they never say anything," said one of the saleswomen.

One store even gave undercover reporters a formal estimate of how much one of the shopping carts would cost.

When asked how the heavy, steel carts were obtained, store owners claimed they had purchased them from someone else. One store owner stated that supermarket security guards were paid to take the shopping carts off the premises.

Upon walking through the streets, reporters observed that the carts were used by informal street vendors that want to sell their products and run from police if necessary.

The carts were seen being used to sell everything from pineapple slices to sandwiches.

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# LOL says :
25 July, 2008 [ 00:32 ]

You know, I find these articles about people stealing the most insane of things quite amusing... in light of the silly propaganda articles that litter the Peruvian news about how great the Peruvian economy is... sounds like the way Bush and the Republicans are still talking about how great the American economy is... when everyone knows it is in the toilet

# Ray says :
25 July, 2008 [ 01:05 ]

Lol:  I'm amused by your comment.  First of all, Peru is a developing nation on its way to being a leader in Latin America...., but not everyone is benefiting yet...and that's understandable. It takes time. 

I live in a town in Colorado where people are stealing copper from warehouses and supply points. Also, some homeless people here steal "the most insane things" like supermarket shopping carts which they use as portable "homes". So, why does it surprise you that these things happen in Lima? 

# Walter E. says :
25 July, 2008 [ 01:05 ]

$100 a cart? is Peru manufacturing these carts? or are they being imported?

# Jon says :
25 July, 2008 [ 10:20 ]

No one said dollars. 100 soles. I hope one of these days the police will start to do something.

# asd says :
25 July, 2008 [ 13:56 ]

You know, I find these articles about people stealing the most insane of things quite amusing... in light of the silly propaganda articles that litter the Peruvian news about how great the Peruvian economy is... sounds like the way Bush and the Republicans are still talking about how great the American economy is... when everyone knows it is in the toilet

******* there are poor people everywhere...

# scott says :
25 July, 2008 [ 21:55 ]

At walmart in the U.S. they have carts that when removed from the parking lot the wheels lock...maybe someone in peru could license the technology.

# ghgjh says :
26 July, 2008 [ 07:41 ]

http://www.forex.co.ir
forex Ù?ارکس آموزش Ù?ارکس

# David says :
3 August, 2008 [ 16:44 ]

Ray, have you ever been to Peru?  The poor there give a whole new meaning to the term "dirt poor."  Nowhere in the US or Canada are there people so hopelessly poor as in Peru.  Peru is a developing country?  I would say you've been drinking too much Peruvan government Kool-Aid.  The economy of Peru would have to expand 10,000% for these people to see any relief, and even then rampant, uncontrolled (government condoned) discrimination would still keep probably 60% of the country living in dirt and squalor. 

It takes 'time'?  Yes, perhaps in 200 years things will be better...maybe.  It's outrageous that people in Peruvian government actually have the gall to tell their people that things are getting better, and absolutely incredible that posters such as yourself believe it.

You cannot compare the poor in Colorado with the poor in Peru.  In Colorado, a person can find some kind of menial job and actually eat and live in a sound structure with utilities.  The government will provide housing assistance, food stamps and health care.  In Peru, people can starve to death and practically die in the street - nobody cares.  Yet the Peruvian government always preaches how great things will be -soon.

If you ever get to Peru take a drive on the AutoPista from Lima out to Chosica.  You'll see what I mean along the roadside.

# peloflex says :
3 August, 2008 [ 20:54 ]

David....

AND YOU!.. .have you ever been to East Los Angeles?... have you ever been to Detroit, MI?... you dont need to go as far as Chosica in Peru to see your so called dirty poor... and you know what? if we peruvians have to wait 200 years for things to get better, WE WILL WAIT WITH A SMILE AND LOTS OF HOPE! that is what makes peruvians (and why not, latino americans in general) different and STRONGER!

You go ahead and keep bragging about your great US economy... an economy that everyone knows is made out of paper... where everybody owes to everybody... creditcard-land!

# David N says :
3 August, 2008 [ 21:53 ]

Peloflex,

You really need to get a grip on your emotions.  I was not 'bragging' about anything, I was merely pointing out to the other poster that the poor in Colorado have a much better fate and he cannot compare them to the poor in Peru.

Yes, I have been to both Los Angeles and Detroit.  In no US city will you find the kind of desperate living conditions found in the pueblo jovenes found all around and within Lima.  That is not bragging, it is only pointing out to someone that seemed misinformed about how dismal life can actually be for someone in one of those shantytowns.  The people there have little to be hopeful for, and most will never make it out.

You and other Peruvians should be outraged that people have to steal sewer covers and shopping carts just to get a few soles and put food on the table.  That people have to resort to this is a real tragedy.

# peloflex says :
3 August, 2008 [ 22:35 ]

You know very little about Peruvian history mister.... the reason why people is poor in Peru is just because they want to.. they leave their home town looking for something that they dont even know what it is... they have it all at home... they own a house...they own farm land...they own caddle... you just dont know enough about the mentality of peruvians...

I am going to tell you just a bit, hope that you care to go and find out the rest on your own. Peru has always been a rich contry... we have it all... you name it. the thing is that we went through a BIG BUMP at the end of the 60's ... from that time everything went down the drain.... not only the economy suffered, but most importantly the mentality of the people... that's why you see people stealing sewer covers... not because they have no other place to find sustent... that's BS! .. they just do it cause it's in their flesh...  it comes from that same accident we suffered with the MF Dictator Velasco .. He put the country in the abyss... we free fell for two decades... it's going to take another 2 decades to correct that type of behavior but now we are raising again and WE WILL RAISE AGAIN TO GO BACK TO BEING THE GREAT NATION WE WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE.

QUE VIVA EL PERU!!!

# peloflex says :
3 August, 2008 [ 22:36 ]

how was that for getting a grip of my emmotions?...