British legislator pick-pocketed in Quito

A member of the British Parliament ignored Foreign Office advice about travelling to Ecuador and paid the price when she had her purse stolen after a thief in Quito slashed her rucksack.

Tracey Crouch, the Conservative party member from Chatham and Aylesford in Kent, flew to Ecuador on Tuesday week to take part in a charity climb up the 19,347ft-high Cotapaxi volcano to raise cash for the Royal British Legion and its Help for Heroes campaign.

On her first day in Quito, Crouch went for a stroll in in the city’s historic district where a local thief cut a hole in her rucksack relieving her of her purse.

Crouch admitted that she was advised to avoid the old town and to wear her rucksack on her front.

She tweeted: “First day in Ecuador ruined by someone slashing my rucksack with knife & stealing purse. Not a good start” adding on her blog: “We started day with an hour stroll from hotel to British Embassy where the Ambassador was kind enough to meet us all and give us an insight into Ecuador, their political and military structures and how Britain trades with them.

“Afterwards we went to the charming Old Town where unfortunately my rucksack was slashed and my purse was taken, without me or anyone in the group noticing.

“Am trying to put a brave face on but am now without rucksack and credit cards for the rest of the trip!”

Crouch is in Ecuador with six injured soldiers and fellow Parlimentarian John Mann (Lab) and Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem). They are due to start the climb next week.