Theft!

We've been warned about crime in Arusha, and we do our best to protect ourselves, but recently the malefactors got the upper hand.

We go to the city a couple of times a month to visit the bank and shop for goods we can't find in our small town.  We come back with such things as olives, canned tuna, plum jelly, paper towels, and our liquor of choice.  We take a backpack with us for carrying our purchases easily.

Arusha's sidewalks are always busy with vendors, walkers, and people standing around conversing, so we normally walk single file.  One day last month, we had done some of our shopping and were on our way to another store when the sidewalk became exceptionally crowded with young men.  I was in the lead and I picked up my pace a little to try to outstrip the mass of people.  I didn't realize this was a setup, with the goal of filching things from the backpack Mark was wearing.

The crowd cleared suddenly and Mark caught up with me, saying, "Check the backpack.  See what's missing."  One of the zippered compartments was gaping open.  After a quick inventory, I realized that the only thing stolen was a plastic bag holding a small package of raisins.  Tanzanians don't eat raisins, which can only be found here in one or two shops that cater to Indians and Westerners.  I'm sure that the thieves expected us (old white people) to be carrying something more valuable--electronics, perhaps.  It gives me wicked satisfaction to think of them inspecting their booty and saying the equivalent of, "What the heck is this?"