Tourist warning!!!!!!!!!
Sep 29th, 2008, 05:44 PM
#1
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Tourist warning!!!!!!!!!
I know we are all supposed to be careful and most of us are....but now we need to be more careful....
Just returned from Lisbon..
Conference...multi national, urban travelers. 5 [out of a group of maybe 20-25] of us were robbed by pickpockets and thieves who unzipped purses in public places. I was in the Art museum of CCB in Belem…no charge to enter so thief followed me in there to the gift shop... My purse was a long leather slouch bag that hung down below my hands when I stood still. The thief unzipped part of the top and threw my sunglasses down to distract me. By the time I realized it was too late. I had road tested the purse but clearly not well enough.
Spent considerable amount of time w/police as I could describe the woman. What was very upsetting to them was the fact that she hit the cards for $1200 in 10 minutes....something new.
Most of them take the cash, ditch the wallet.
Using the cards so fast was new and they are now deeply concerned as it adds a dimension to the problem. [I was protected and thieves see it as a victimless crime as most cards have fraud protection]
2 of the group were Europeans and none of us matched the classic sneaker and jeans tourist look.
So...keep a 5 Euro note in your pocket to use in the tube, don't carry a wallet that indexes your cards to they line up and can be seen, use opposite card of your spouse if you are travelling with family, take your drivers license out of your wallet and leave in safe, have all the overseas collect numbers in your PDA etc [getting the in a hurry is tough]. Do not ride the 15 and 28 trams in Lisbon and their equivalents in other cities. Thieves ride them to eavesdrop and find targets....follow them to easy locations.
These are all suggestions from the several police I spoke with. The Department is now in the tourist info office.
I really did not think it could happen to me and so did the other people in the police station...as the economies weaken crime will increase...an economic strategy of dubious value;-)
Just returned from Lisbon..
Conference...multi national, urban travelers. 5 [out of a group of maybe 20-25] of us were robbed by pickpockets and thieves who unzipped purses in public places. I was in the Art museum of CCB in Belem…no charge to enter so thief followed me in there to the gift shop... My purse was a long leather slouch bag that hung down below my hands when I stood still. The thief unzipped part of the top and threw my sunglasses down to distract me. By the time I realized it was too late. I had road tested the purse but clearly not well enough.
Spent considerable amount of time w/police as I could describe the woman. What was very upsetting to them was the fact that she hit the cards for $1200 in 10 minutes....something new.
Most of them take the cash, ditch the wallet.
Using the cards so fast was new and they are now deeply concerned as it adds a dimension to the problem. [I was protected and thieves see it as a victimless crime as most cards have fraud protection]
2 of the group were Europeans and none of us matched the classic sneaker and jeans tourist look.
So...keep a 5 Euro note in your pocket to use in the tube, don't carry a wallet that indexes your cards to they line up and can be seen, use opposite card of your spouse if you are travelling with family, take your drivers license out of your wallet and leave in safe, have all the overseas collect numbers in your PDA etc [getting the in a hurry is tough]. Do not ride the 15 and 28 trams in Lisbon and their equivalents in other cities. Thieves ride them to eavesdrop and find targets....follow them to easy locations.
These are all suggestions from the several police I spoke with. The Department is now in the tourist info office.
I really did not think it could happen to me and so did the other people in the police station...as the economies weaken crime will increase...an economic strategy of dubious value;-)
Sep 29th, 2008, 11:32 PM
#3
Realtor,
Lisbon tourists have been targetted by pickpockets for some time now. It has less to do with the economy and more to do with immigrants, etc.
In 2007, my group used a tour guide in Lisbon. After greeting us, she warned us about the increase in pickpockets on the trams, train stations, trains, etc. Pickpocketing has become very bad indeed.
One person in our group was pickpocketed on the tram. The thief carefully pickpocketed the wallet, took out the money and gave the wallet back to the victim. Before the victim realized what had happened, the pickpocket had departed the tram.
We saw another woman almost get pickpocketed on the train to Sintra.
"So...keep a 5 Euro note in your pocket to use in the tube, don't carry a wallet that indexes your cards to they line up and can be seen, use opposite card of your spouse if you are travelling with family, take your drivers license out of your wallet and leave in safe, have all the overseas collect numbers in your PDA etc [getting the in a hurry is tough]. Do not ride the 15 and 28 trams in Lisbon and their equivalents in other cities. Thieves ride them to eavesdrop and find targets....follow them to easy locations."
Good advice except for perhaps telling people to stay away from those trams. Instead, I would advise to enjoy the trams but excerise caution at all times!
By the way, pickpocketing is increasing in popularity all over Europe. A Swiss friend was pickpocketed on a local train between Brunnen and Arth-Goldau in Switzerland.
Lisbon tourists have been targetted by pickpockets for some time now. It has less to do with the economy and more to do with immigrants, etc.
In 2007, my group used a tour guide in Lisbon. After greeting us, she warned us about the increase in pickpockets on the trams, train stations, trains, etc. Pickpocketing has become very bad indeed.
One person in our group was pickpocketed on the tram. The thief carefully pickpocketed the wallet, took out the money and gave the wallet back to the victim. Before the victim realized what had happened, the pickpocket had departed the tram.
We saw another woman almost get pickpocketed on the train to Sintra.
"So...keep a 5 Euro note in your pocket to use in the tube, don't carry a wallet that indexes your cards to they line up and can be seen, use opposite card of your spouse if you are travelling with family, take your drivers license out of your wallet and leave in safe, have all the overseas collect numbers in your PDA etc [getting the in a hurry is tough]. Do not ride the 15 and 28 trams in Lisbon and their equivalents in other cities. Thieves ride them to eavesdrop and find targets....follow them to easy locations."
Good advice except for perhaps telling people to stay away from those trams. Instead, I would advise to enjoy the trams but excerise caution at all times!
By the way, pickpocketing is increasing in popularity all over Europe. A Swiss friend was pickpocketed on a local train between Brunnen and Arth-Goldau in Switzerland.
Sep 30th, 2008, 01:18 AM
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sorry to hear about your experience. good thing you did not lose any valuable documents like passport, drivers lic, etc. i know what that feels like, my purse was snatched while we were in Madrid 3 yrs ago. it was a hand bag which made it an easy prey. since then, i have purchased a "travel bag" that i only use when travelling. it is small squarish, maybe 6 X 8, that has shoulder strap. i hang it around my neck with the bag hanging in front of me, like a necklace. so far, it had kept pickpockets and purse snatchers away. it had travelled with me to paris, prague, budapest,vienna, bangkok and so far it had done what it's supposed to do. i remember an incident in paris where i think it was a thief who was eyeing me. i looked him straight into the eyes, as one of my hands held the bag hanging in front of me. he walked away.
Sep 30th, 2008, 03:57 AM
#5
I carry my driver's license and do not worry about losing it, although I generally leave my passport in the hotel safe. No problem replacing the driver's license when I get home (although if one had rented a car and was driving, that would present a problem), while the passport is a much more difficult proposition.
When my husband's wallet was taken in the Naples train station a few years ago, the thieves charged a couple thousand dollars on his credit card within the hour before my husband reached the bank. No problem, though, as the bank removed the charges. As I carried different cards, we used mine for the rest of the trip.
And I definitely would not avoid the 28 tram in Lisbon, which was a great way to see the city.
When my husband's wallet was taken in the Naples train station a few years ago, the thieves charged a couple thousand dollars on his credit card within the hour before my husband reached the bank. No problem, though, as the bank removed the charges. As I carried different cards, we used mine for the rest of the trip.
And I definitely would not avoid the 28 tram in Lisbon, which was a great way to see the city.
Sep 30th, 2008, 04:19 AM
#6
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Nikki wrote: "And I definitely would not avoid the 28 tram in Lisbon, which was a great way to see the city."
I agree. If a reasonable degree of street-wisdom and level of vigilance are insufficient to protect you and your property on even a crowded tram, then it is time to call a halt. If I could not travel on the 28, Lisbon would be a lost cause.
I agree. If a reasonable degree of street-wisdom and level of vigilance are insufficient to protect you and your property on even a crowded tram, then it is time to call a halt. If I could not travel on the 28, Lisbon would be a lost cause.
Sep 30th, 2008, 04:21 AM
#7
While we were traveling in europe this summer, we only carried cash for the day and one credit card. Everything else stayed in a hotel safe. Money and card was in pocket which i kept my hand on while on metros.
If I carried a handbag, I wore a small bag across my body. The only thing in there was tissues, maps, nothing of value.
DH carried a camera.
If I carried a handbag, I wore a small bag across my body. The only thing in there was tissues, maps, nothing of value.
DH carried a camera.
Sep 30th, 2008, 08:10 AM
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When I lived in Lisbon, my wallet was taken from my purse on the bus. It was very crowded and for some reason that day I just was lax in protecting my purse. I even had my suspicions something wasn't quite right when it was happening but did not respond quickly enough.
I ended up chasing the guy until he lost me. (I don't know what I would've done if I'd caught him!). Anyway, after I filed a claim at the police station and cancelled all my credit cards (PAIN!) I got a call from a gentleman at a hotel about a mile away who saw my wallet under a car and called the phone number I had in my wallet. Everything was there but the cash. I was amazed.
Another time I left my purse unattended at a bar (yeah, I know - brilliant!) and someone took it.
It can happen anywhere.
It can happen anywhere.
I ended up chasing the guy until he lost me. (I don't know what I would've done if I'd caught him!). Anyway, after I filed a claim at the police station and cancelled all my credit cards (PAIN!) I got a call from a gentleman at a hotel about a mile away who saw my wallet under a car and called the phone number I had in my wallet. Everything was there but the cash. I was amazed.
Another time I left my purse unattended at a bar (yeah, I know - brilliant!) and someone took it.
It can happen anywhere.
It can happen anywhere.
Sep 30th, 2008, 08:14 AM
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There are several signs plastered inside the #28 (Bairro Alto/Alfama) trams that <i>specifically</i> warn you to beware of pickpockets. I want to say that I saw these same signs in the #15 (Belém) trams and in the Santa Justa elevator. Maybe Carris places them in all of their facilities. Lobo?
Be defensive when on public transportation or in large public areas. Use walls, seats, windows, etc., as interference. Stand in corners to reduce the number of access points to your wallet or purse. I still remember some poor sap <i>not</i> doing this in the Naples, Italy train station McDonald's a few years back. I watched a little kid pickpocket case out her next victim. She found one from across the restaurant, and went up and picked some guy's pocket. She then ran back through the McDonald's with a clenched fist. (Obviously not a very <i>smart</i> pickpocket, running and showing everyone her "prize", but an effective one nonetheless.)
Be defensive when on public transportation or in large public areas. Use walls, seats, windows, etc., as interference. Stand in corners to reduce the number of access points to your wallet or purse. I still remember some poor sap <i>not</i> doing this in the Naples, Italy train station McDonald's a few years back. I watched a little kid pickpocket case out her next victim. She found one from across the restaurant, and went up and picked some guy's pocket. She then ran back through the McDonald's with a clenched fist. (Obviously not a very <i>smart</i> pickpocket, running and showing everyone her "prize", but an effective one nonetheless.)
Sep 30th, 2008, 08:45 AM
#11
Sorry this happened to you, realtor, and thanks for the warning - I'm headed to Lisbon next month. BUT, yet another argument for wearing a money belt or using the hotel safe, if there is one. I have everything valuable (passport, ATM and credit cards, cash, tickets) other than one day's money in my money belt under my clothes. I was pick pocketed on the notorious bus 64 in Rome, but all the thief got was one day's money and an expiring bus pass. I'm not a shopper, so I rarely need a credit card.
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