Ronnie Biggs RIP

[brucemillar]

Certainly lived a colorful life.

 

[camerafodder]

I'm not sure why his death is receiving so much coverage. He is almost being hailed as some sort of folk hero. He was a thief, nothing more.

 

[janner]

He stole millions from us, effectively murdered the driver, fled for most of his life spending it then came back to milk the NHS.
What a hero.....

 

[trapperjohn]

No doubt an East End Funeral with all the "whoha" that goes with it. Give me strength - As Camerafodder says a thief and nothing more. (Avoids thread from here on in)

 

[DSM10000]

I'm not sure why his death is receiving so much coverage. He is almost being hailed as some sort of folk hero. He was a thief, nothing more.

At least it will not (hopefully) generate quite as much coverage as Mandela

 

[brucemillar]

He was a thief, nothing more.

He was also a man who avoided justice for 40 years. He took part in what was (at the time) was the biggest cash robbery in British history which created an entire industry of folklore.

Not sure what the point was in the reply. Freddie Mercury was singer and nothing more, so was John Lennon, Fred Dibnah was a steeplejack.

For somebody who was a thief and nothing more he attracted the attention of the British media and public for 40 years. He was also a Father, Son, Husband.

Should we have no mention of thiefs when they die? That would leave a huge gap in the HMRC headstone department.

 

[brucemillar]

At least it will not (hopefully) generate quite as much coverage as Mandela

A terrorist and nothing more. Indeed.

 

[camerafodder]

He was also a man who avoided justice for 40 years. He took part in what was (at the time) was the biggest cash robbery in British history which created an entire industry of folklore.

Not sure what the point was in the reply. Freddie Mercury was singer and nothing more, so was John Lennon, Fred Dibnah was a steeplejack.

For somebody who was a thief and nothing more he attracted the attention of the British media and public for 40 years. He was also a Father, Son, Husband.

Should we have no mention of thiefs when they die? That would leave a huge gap in the HMRC headstone department.

His family status is irrelevant, the other people you mention had talent and didn't have to harm other people or steal to achieve their fame. They can be classed as net contributors to society in general. Biggs was just a lowlife thief, nothing more...

 

[brucemillar]

His family status is irrelevant, the other people you mention had talent and didn't have to harm other people or steal to achieve their fame. They can be classed as net contributors to society in general. Biggs was just a lowlife thief, nothing more...

Well I am glad that you knew him so well and were able to spend so much time with him amassing your knowledge of his personal lifestyle.

Make sure you take back the office pencils.

 

[camerafodder]

Well I am glad that you knew him so well and were able to spend so much time with him amassing your knowledge of his personal lifestyle.

Make sure you take back the office pencils.

Oh dear. His criminal exploits and his manipulation of people around him are all in the public domain. I won't stoop to silly insults so at this point I'm out.

 

[grober]

Here lies Ronald Biggs
train robber and thief

​

He sold a lot of newspapers! ​

RIP​

 

[brucemillar]

You did stoop to a silly insult in your very first post. You then continued to repeat that insult. I would guess that all of us either know a thief or have stolen ourselves at some point. That does not make us all bad people.

How about he was a speeder and nothing more. To summarise a life into that comment is harsh. You don't know if we was anything more. I suspect that you know nothing of him apart from what you read in the press.

Some say Jimmy Savile had talent. Is that OK in your book then.

Most people will know who Ronnie Biggs was through his notoriety/fame/celebrity. That in itself say that he was something more than most of us. Rightly or wrongly that is why his passing is making headlines.

 

[camerafodder]

You did stoop to a silly insult in your very first post. You then continued to repeat that insult. I would guess that all of us either know a thief or have stolen ourselves at some point. That does not make us all bad people.

How about he was a speeder and nothing more. To summarise a life into that comment is harsh. You don't know if we was anything more. I suspect that you know nothing of him apart from what you read in the press.

Some say Jimmy Savile had talent. Is that OK in your book then.

Most people will know who Ronnie Biggs was through his notoriety/fame/celebrity. That in itself say that he was something more than most of us. Rightly or wrongly that is why his passing is making headlines.

OK against my better judgement I'm going to respond to this.

I did not stoop to a silly insult in my first post (however admittedly I did in a later post where I call him lowlife thief) The reference to insults was simply referring to the fact that you seem to easily resort to attempting to attack me via your post, something I would not do to you. Biggs was a thief, FACT.

He did not serve his time, he absconded and moved from place to place ending up eventually in Brazil where he avoided extradition by getting a Brazillian girl (not his wife) up the duff. He then proceeded to live his life as he had chosen it and actively courted publicity based on his involvement in the train robbery, which incidentally was not his first robbery. When the money ran out and he got sick, he expected to return to the UK and get free treatment on the NHS from a system that I doubt he contributed to.

Specious references to Saville are silly and simply a diversionary tactic to take the focus of the debate away from the real issue. It bears no relevance to what I said.

Having listened to the news this morning before coming to work (no I don't steal the office pencils as I own both businesses that I work for) and listening to Biggs being almost Lauded as some sort of folk hero grates with me and I'm sure it grates with the family of the poor chap who was so badly beaten during the train robbery (one of several robberies he committed). Should we simply forget that then?

 

[Druk]

My belief is that if he'd been given a sentence more commensurate with his actual crime instead of being made a martyr by a vindictive judiciary (say 5 to 10) then likely he would have quietly served out his sentence, been released and the ensuing media hype would never have occurred.


.

 

[C43AMG]

A highly recommended show on BBC1 at 20.00 tonight. Very good timing.

 

[coupe deville]

A highly recommended show on BBC1 at 20.00 tonight. Very good timing.

Ironic that he wont be able to watch it

 

[SL300-24]

My belief is that if he'd been given a sentence more commensurate with his actual crime instead of being made a martyr by a vindictive judiciary (say 5 to 10) then likely he would have quietly served out his sentence, been released and the ensuing media hype would never have occurred.


.

I agree with you on this. The driver was not murdered he was injured and any one of the robbers could have beat him.

The only other robbery that I can think of as with so much media attention is Brinks Mat. None of those guy's got a life sentance of 30 years plus did they?

I think given the chance to get away to Rio or a holiday in Wandsworth most of us would have followed the sunshine.

 

[robgc]

he was scum, sub human scum & a repugnant human being. Turned into a loveable rogue by the press who largely treated the crime as a victimless affair, despite the train driver never recovering. Ran like a chicken to escape justice and then squealed like a b**ch for free health care - then appealed to be released due to being 'about to die' - over 4 years ago.

will not be missed

 

[Meldrew2]

On the bright side, at least he has managed to get Nelson Mandela off the front page ……







.

 

[brucemillar]

he was scum, sub human scum & a repugnant human being. Turned into a loveable rogue by the press who largely treated the crime as a victimless affair, despite the train driver never recovering. Ran like a chicken to escape justice and then squealed like a b**ch for free health care - then appealed to be released due to being 'about to die' - over 4 years ago.

will not be missed

You need to come straight to the point and get it off your chest. Dont mince your words man. Spit it out. Personally I thought he did well for South Africa and as you say he served his time. What did he do to upset you so much?