Chelsey_Beese

Hey everyone. In a few weeks I'm going a trip all around Europe and part of Africa, including Barcelona, Rome, Naples, Athens, Istanbul, Dubrovnik, Casablanca, and Lisbon. I know some of these places are notorious for pick pocketing and strap slashing theft. Is it necessary for me to get an anti theft purse, such as those by Travelon or Magellan? Has anyone used them before, are they heavy?

nytraveler

Have never used anything but y regular purse (on business) or a Sportsac (on vacation) and in more than 90 trips have never had a problem - although I haven;t been to Casablanca.

Caveat: I'm a native New Yorker and things that are obvious to me seem to be a mystery to others (never putting your purse down, holding onto it at all times, putting it in your lap at meals, always being aware of those around you, and avoiding being squished in public transit or in train stations.

It is possible to be robbed anywhere (I saw a woman's purse stolen by a youth on a bike in uber upscale, Greenwich CT) and it is possible to be safe if you are always aware and don't take risks.

pookymimi

I bought a regular purse with several pockets in Barcelona and I switched the strap it came with for the antitheft camera strap I bought here in REI.

The strap has wire inside to prevent being cut, and it's long enough to allow me to cross the purse over my tummy.

CarolA

I think the guys who invented these things are geniuses. They have managed to scare monger their way to a lot of cash. Having been to all of these places I never spent the money on a "anti theft" bag and by paying attention everything came home with me.

basingstoke2

DD was a bit nervous going to Naples having heard scary stories of bags snatched,gold hoops torn from ears and such. I probably did not help since I once told her about a fellow I met on the Navy base there who had his watch wrestled off his arm that morning when he stuck it out the car window to pay the toll. I did something like pooky mentioned. Simply, I threaded a length of picture hanging wire through the pocketbook strap. It was invisible and a cheap reinforcement. As it turned out, one of the girls in her group did experience the classic guy on a scooter bag snatch.

pookymimi

Simply, I threaded a length of picture hanging wire through the pocketbook strap. It was invisible and a cheap reinforcement.

----What a great idea! I may do that for my little backpack.

As it turned out, one of the girls in her group did experience the classic guy on a scooter bag snatch.

---- I always wondered what it would happen if someone tried that with my strap having wire in, would I be dragged by the guy on the scooter or cut in the process?

I only carry my cameras in the purse with some maps and klenex.
My valuables are inside my safety belt.

mmyk72

I'm amazed how carelessly people in the US leave their stuff/purses/wallets around. So if people are not used to protecting their belongings at home, it's easy to slip up when traveling once in a blue moon.

Like NYTraveler said, just simply be careful and you lessen the chance of getting pickpocketed or meeting a purse snatcher. I used to think it's common sense to not leave stuff out of sight like hanging on the back of your chair, hold your purse tight to your body and not let it sling around to your back, not putting valuables in backpack, etc. However, I find myself doing exactly these things at home because it's 'safe'. When traveling though, I have to force myself to get back these paranoid habits.

BTW, I've had an attempted pickpocket 2x but I realized it quickly before anything was taken. One time, some girls tried to talk to me and I figured something wasn't right.

basingstoke2

pooky - I understand the girl just had her bag slung over a shoulder, not cross body, so it came right off. They were just beginning a semester in Italy so that girl had a really bad start.

Tentek

Chelsey, I have a CitySafe 200 bag by PacSAfe and I love it. I actually use it in the US throughout the year, because it is so practical. I must be stupid according to nytraveler but I like the security of the cross body bag and I keep it locked when I am traveling, so I feel safer on the metro, etc.

I have other purses but I keep going back to CitySafe. Here is a link but I bought mine at REI:
http://www.ebags.com/product/pacsafe...uctid=10174432

StCirq

I think they're silly and advertize your paranoia, but I'm a happy-go-lucky soul who manages to get around Europe without incident.

azzure

I'm with TenTek. I have the smaller Citysafe "Slingsafe" bag, and it accommodated my digital camera, cell phone, guide book, walking around money and one credit card easily. Worn cross-body and flap turned inward, it made me feel very safe even on the crowded Roman Metro. My backup credit cards, larger amounts of cash and passport went in my money belt.

alsacekid

To get an idea, have a look at that website.
assistance.touristmayday.com/touristmaydaycountry_003.htm

mariha2912

I would think that trying to take your bag away is sort of an '80 thing, at least that's the case in Athens. Usually thefts occur when you are distracted and don't pay attention, and someone tries to zip open your bag/purse and take whatever it is inside. Bag is still there and before you realize it your cameras, mobile phone and wallet or money or whatever, disappears... Or even more often, inside metro or bus, they quickly manage to take away whatever you have in your pocket, before you realize what happens. In Athens most victims are men, because women are more used to protect their selves, men are wrongly pretty self confident it wouldn't happen to them ,and often do goof mistakes, as putting their wallet on the back pocket of their trouser. I would focus mostly to a bag/purse with zips rather than buttons or clips and even trousers with zipped pockets. Some padlocks for your bags are not a bad idea either. Credit cards, mobile phones, money should be putted as deep in your pockets/bags as possible or on a safety belt.

AtlTravelr

"are they heavy?" Yes. I think so. I ordered a pacsafe and returned it immediately because I thought it felt heavy and stiff. I carry a water bottle and guide book along with other items so did not like,the thought of something that was so heavy to begin with. I usually take a lightweight under arm or cross body bag like the ones for Le Sport sac. I have a "travel wallet" that has a strap on it that I loop around the strap so the wallet cannot be simply lifted. My one pickpocket attempt I had a zippered bag pinned to the inside of my purse. The young boy (with his mother) fumbled so much trying to get it that he was noticed by me and others. This is the kind of theft you are mostly trying to avoid-the strap slashing is not common.

basingstoke2

I had 2 incidents in my travels. One was my first trip to Italy - I was still a bit naive at the time. I was walking with my son in Rome and accosted by group of little kids with the usual cardboards and newspapers. They lifted a pack of traveler's checks from my pocket, which gives you an idea of how long ago that was. A woman tried to warn me shouting "Bambini" followed by words I did not understand. I did not know that my pocket was picked until a block later when one of the kids caught up with us and in broken English said that I had dropped my checks and wanted a reward for their return. I realized what had happened and that the kid wanted to see where I was carrying my money. Since I had a few coins in a pocket that had nothing else other than some tissues, I gave him those to save myself a trip to the AE office.

The second time was more recently - just a few years ago in Vienna. This time I was just plain stupid. At the train station taveling to Prague, I put my small backpack down while looking at the train sign board. The thief got away with only my toiletries and laundry, but I did like that backpack.

azzure

These complaints about PacSafe being "heavy" are interesting to me: I just put my empty Pacsafe purse on a postal scale and it weighed 9 ounces. Maybe the bigger ones are heavier?

doug_stallings

I have a Pacsafe slashproof backpack that I bought a couple of years ago when I went to India, and I use it all the time as a gym bag when I'm not traveling with it. It's quite light. They don't make the model I purchased anymore, but the closest equivalent is called a "Slingsafe".

Jean

I have used a leather backpack that opens on the back which makes it impossible to pickpocket if you're wearing it and has leather straps that are too thick for a slash-and-go.

http://www.libaire.net/leather-backp...-backpack.html

More recently I've used a somewhat roomy, crossbody bag by Kipling that has a flap that closes over the zippers making it difficult for pickpockets. The Kipling straps are too heavy for a quick slash; someone would have to saw away for a minute or more to cut through it.

http://www.kipling-usa.com/product/i...ly&cid=1056260

mmyk72

I've heard stories about people razor cut the bottom of bags, purses to pick it, rather than from the zipper top. Never seen it myself.

I was in a B&B in Madrid many yrs back and overheard the American lady at the next table complaining about losing a camera and other things from just having been pickpocketed. It sounded like she was carrying a bag with a big open top.

pookymimi

Actually from living in South America for 30 years I've learned that the most important thing in a purse is the little zippered pocket inside the purse, that one nobody can get to it.

I'm going to wear the same purse I bought in Barcelona 2010, it's made of fake croc leather so it's hard to cut in, it has one zippered pocket front and back and the zippered area has a divider and a zippered little pocket. I believe I paid 45 euros for it, cheap as it's a very nice looking one.