Josh

I almost never carry a purse in any big city. I put very little cash and a credit card in my pocket.

mari5

AWARENESS of people and surroundings!!!

Most replies have a similar idea...it's what you do with any purse. A dr. told me one time NOT to use leather...too heavy, hard on neck and shoulder. Mine "looks" like leather,,has 2-3 zippered pockets and a sturdy strap to wear crosswise. If going to be out and about all day I put it in a very lightweigh flimsy nylon back pack, along with water, camera etc, and carry it the same way (over shoulder and hugged to chest)
Yes, as posters above said..., when sitting in a restaurant the purse goes on the floor with the strap wound through my leg.!!!

AGAIN: BE AWARE of what is going on with people around you.!

kerouac

Right at the Pont de Grenelle (Paris 15) I once saw a Japanese woman dragged on the ground by a motorcycle for at least 200 meters because she would not let go of her purse. This is a major location of Japanese tourists, because the local 30-story Novotel used to be a Nikko Hotel (Japan Airlines) for about 25 years, and it still caters to lots of Japanese tour groups.

Apres_Londee

This is crazy talk!

If you are going to Europe, use the same purse that you would at home. Sling it over your shoulder and keep it under your armpit, or arm and hand, like you would at home. Keep it closed up properly, like you would at home. Keep it close to your body at all times, like you would at home. Don't carry huge wads of cash or irreplacable valuables around in your purse, just as you wouldn't do so at home. Etcerta, ad nausem.

IMO, armouring yourself in all these contraptions marketed at tourists is going to make you stand out as a potential mark far more than if you simply carry your regular purse and appear confident and collected.

I would feel lost and naked without my purse. And if I had to stuff all my things into the pockets of a travel vest, I'd look like a toddler in a snowsuit, with my arms sticking straight out my sides.

toedtoes

For me, I found the best solution is a small pouch purse. One that is just big enough to fit my passport, cc's, lipstick, etc. I don't carry any "extra" stuff in my purse (think slightly bigger than a wallet). With this size, I can hold it easily in my hand, tuck it in my lap when eating or on a train, or hold it in front of me football style, etc. I also like ones with a snap on the strap (either wristlet or shoulder) so I can hook it onto my belt, etc. for added security.

J_Correa

I like my SportSac purse - nylon material that is really light, adjustable strap so I can wear it short under my arm or long across my chest depending on the circumstances, and it folds down into nothing so I can put it in my carry-on bag and not use my purse as a carry-on.

crefloors

I like my Ameribag and have used nothing else for years. It's the only purse I ever use, at home, and it's great for travel. I use the small most of the time and then when traveling I use the large. Both my bags are a really dark purple leather so go with everything. I can put anything and everything in them and when on the metro and the like, I just swing in around front and put my arm over it.

Travelnut

Pickpockets can get into a handbag. Period. I don't think they can get into a security pouch underneath the clothing, however. (in 12 years, none have managed yet). So don't carry anything significant inside your handbag. The only exception I have to that is my camera, and I've just bought a new one that is much smaller and will tuck down in there. I load the photos to the laptop as a backup.

janisj

Robespierre: You of course know just about everything - but about being dragged w/ a handbag -- I think not.

I have twice seen women dragged by a mugger/pickpocket. Once the thief was on a vespa type scooter and once he was riding on the back of a Goldwing.

Robespierre

Tell me the date and location of these events. I'll look them up in the police archives.

Thank you.

janisj

one was in Reno in approx. 1997, and one was in Paris in Oct 2001 -- have fun.

thursdaysd

Googling "woman dragged by a bag" turns up a surprising number of incidents in the UK...

kerouac

Last week, one of my colleagues found a purse in her commuter train, containing money, keys, credit cards and American passport. There was a phone number among the documents which she tried to call unsuccessfully, so she turned in the purse to the railway police.

However, she kept the phone number and was able to contact the family of the owner the next day, so everything turned out just fine. It should be noted that this was a case of "scatterbrained tourist" and not at all a robbery.

toedtoes

Kerouac - I just heard a story on the radio that police are doing sting operations on subways and at the stations called "Operation Lucky Bag". They leave abag or purse on a seat or bench unattended. If someone takes the bag and goes to get off the train or onto a train, they are arrested for theft. Several people are trying to fight the charge saying that they were doing the same exact thing that your friend did.

Apparently the police look at the person's prior record to decide whether they were "stealing" the bag or simply trying to be a good samaritan.

Here's a short article:
http://tinyurl.com/2rayky

WTnow

wear a money belt of some sort & then you never have to worry about your purse!

mariposa85

Robespierre - these incidents are extremely common. You seem to think a thief on a motorbike would never steal a handbag? It happens all the time. I know 2 or 3 people personally who have experienced it in Italy.

Mimar

Those of you who swear by the travel vest, doesn't it get hot? Especially with all that stuff in the pockets?

kayd

It's not the purse, it's what you have in it for a quick-fingered thief to grab.

If there's no wallet, you have nothing of value for the fast pickpocket. Divide credit card, ATM card and cash among several zippered pockets in the purse (with spares safe in your hotel or under-clothing pouch), and keep it on your person at all times. A long, cross-body strap requires effort to take off, so you are not likely to carelessly put it down where someone can run off with it.

anniemackie

I gave up the hunt for the perfect purse years ago and decided to figure it out on my own. If you are at all handy with a sewing machine, you can certainly design your own anti-pickpocket purse. I bought a yard of tapastry fabric and some matching cotton and designed a basic messenger style purse.

Containing a long flap on the front with a velcro closure and a hidden section for my passport, extra cards, etc., it worked wonderfully well when I had a pickpocket "explore" my purse on the Vaporetto. The items in the hidden pouch were safe and I didn't lose anything of value. It was hard to believe, however, that neither my husband nor I heard the velcro fasteners open.

--Annie

thursdaysd

"It was hard to believe, however, that neither my husband nor I heard the velcro fasteners open." Nice example of the fallacy of relying on velcro - thanks. Personally, I use a day pack and a money belt, with only one days' money outside the money belt, so I don't have a purse problem.