"At major chain hotels I can tell you that most of the staff can't access them (i.e. hotel safes)."


ParadiseLost on Apr 30, 05 at 08:05 PM
{I've added to this original post}

1. Thief wipes the keypad clean. (some keyboards are plastic coated others with just buttons either way if a light spray of furniture, hair etc spray is overlaided (sticky/tacky) it will leave a visible print).

2. Guest arrives and puts valuables in safe and presses 4 numbers.

3. Guest leaves and thief dusts (women's blush brush or just blows a bit of talcum power off their hand) the keyboard will reveal fingerprints/smears only on the *touched* keys to the naked eye, say 1,2,3,4.

4. Thief draws 4 pyramids using those numbers, each pyramid has 6 combinations.

5. Thief crosses each one off as she/he goes along, somewhere between 1 and 24 she/he will open your safe.

If your code is say 1,*2,*2,4 it will take 36 tries.

Ahhh...If only I could use my criminal genius for the good of mankind!!!
Actually I had no idea on how many tries it would take, I just thought it was a 'whole bunch':).
But I posted this question on an egghead math forum (sci.math) ~2.5yrs ago and they give me the answer.

Around that time there was an Internet rumor going around that this was how thieves were breaking into hotel room safes.

As you can see it is fairly simple. I'd love to see someone actually try with their partner some night when they are just relaxing in their room to see if it works and how long it would take a 1st timer. Regards, Walter

On my last trip, I carried a small PacSafe purse with a steel reinforced strap. I carried this cross-body, zipped and with the flap turned to face me, and carried one credit card, camera, cellphone and "walking around money" in it. The rest of my cash, backup credit card, debit card and passport were in my money belt. I never felt remotely threatened; even on a packed Roman subway...I really don't believe any thief could have outsmarted this "system".

Okay vbut what is canadien tire money?

Is the money belt truly safe? Has anyone had things taken out from their money belt?
Also when you need money, do you open your money belt to pay for stuff and so others will see you are wearing a money belt?

It also seems like people lose their purses etc when sitting at a restaurant. Is there any defense against that? Put purses and cameras on the table?

Thanks for the post.

Walter - that was awesome :D

pinglee, I usually put my purse on the floor between my feet, or between my feet and the wall if I'm in a corner. At least one of my feet is touching it all the time. Not foolproof (is anything?) but it's worked so far.

I haven't done the money belt thing, but I believe most people who use them keep a little bit of cash in a pocket or something. The money belt is for credit cards, passports, etc.

"Is the money belt truly safe?"
Yes, if used properly, it stays under your clothing and no one knows you are wearing it. You keep a small amount of cash and one credit card in a pocket or purse for frequent use and only go to the money belt in the privacy of your hotel room (or a rest room if necessary away from the hotel).

Suz24....When you make a purchase at a Canadian Tire Store in Canada the store gives you coupons of varying amounts (1cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 50 cent 1 dollar) that customers can use on future purchases. The coupons look like and are about the same size of dollar bills. They are referred to as Canadian Tire money.

Last year in Sicily I traded some of my Canadian Tire money with an Aussie for his similar 'money' that he had in his dummy wallet. We laughed at the coincidence.

iowamom: that hurts. Sorry it happened to your DH.

It happened to me on a train in Hungary. I had locked the compartment door (being the only one in there) after the train started moving. It was extremely hot in the compartment (someone had turned up the heat), so I took my jacket off and hung it on a hook by the window. Because it was so hot, I fell asleep. Someone managed to get into the locked compartment and remove almost all my cash that was in the jacket pockets - not all, because I tend to split up my cash. I was extremely fortunate, as my credit cards, passport, small camera, and backpack were not taken.

It's not so much how much is taken, it's the aftermath. I became so paranoid that I would, thereafter when traveling alone, seek out compartments with other travelers in them...mostly Asian travelers, because, who knows if that other person might be in cahoots with the thieves? The chances of an Asian being a Roma from East Europe is almost nil.

I'm now also very sensitive to how hot it is in the train compartment because one tends to remove one's outer garment and otherwise try to get cool and comfortable, thinking it's now safe to be on the train.

Travel light, travel light, the less one has, the less there is to lose - and - oh, since getting the scottevest with it's 20-odd pockets, I've felt much safer with my essential belongings. The multiple pockets makes one less of an easy target, although the scottevest may be too hot to wear at the height of summer.

kayd writes:
"Is the money belt truly safe?" Yes, if used properly, it stays under your clothing and no one knows you are wearing it."

Without being any more vulgar than necessary to make the point, they know the same way one knows what kind of underwear someone is wearing. It shows through in characteristic ways.

The year after husband's wallet was stolen he bought a money belt.
In all his photographs you can see the outline advertising where it was hidden.

Even if the miscreants can see an outline of a moneybelt under trousers, I doubt they can get at it as easily as they can reach into a pocket or handbag. They would need to reach inside a waistband and shirt, and probably touch skin, to pull off the belt.

Nothing, including a moneybelt, is 100% guaranteed but I think you greatly reduce your chances of getting pickpocketed by using an under-clothing pouch that stays beneath a layer or two of cloth at all times. Does anyone here have experience of a pickpocket getting into a moneybelt worn under trousers?

I have a silk money belt that doesn't show a line on my clothes, but I am usually in jeans. I also use a safety pin and attach the belt itself to my panties. So, it's going to be a funny sight if someone yanks them off me!

My husband always kept his wallet down inside his shirt. We got on a crowded bus at the port of Naples. and by the first stop his wallet was gone.With a large amount of cash that was needed to pay for our apartment rent the next day. Before we boarded the bus , we stopped at a cafe, and I guess the assistant saw where he kept his wallet.plus saw the cash. & called some "friends"(Maybe inside the cafe.) they must have followed us for quite a way. I keep a sports whistle attached to my key ring, If anyone gets uncomfortably close I blow it.
Other Fodor posters, have mentioned that thieves stand near store counters and see where buyers get their money from.
Also note that most of your home owners insurance policies cover stolen cash. in our cash our deductible was to high . but the agent told us to pay the extra premium for a month & lower the deductible. when we travel.

colduphere:"Men can't resist checking their valuables." You are so funny!!! We are going to Italy in a month so I will need to tell DBF not to always check his valuables

I'm starting to get seriously worried about taking my daughter to London and Paris this summer on my own :( It's going to be so obvious I don't know what the he** I'm doing! I need to start really figuring out the currencies and practice wearing a money belt :O ...
(Thank G-d we're not going to Rome!)

Lantana, I think you should be fine. Yes, people get pickpocketed, but I've been to London, Spain and France, rode all three subway systems and have never gotten anything stolen other than a map I left out on the seat. However, here in DC someone stole my Smarttrip Metro card as I was getting off the bus and a co-worker's purse was stolen from the back of her chair in a local restaurant. So the US is not immune. Just go, don't carry alot of cash around, have your purse secured to your body and hard to open-zippered not snaps and be aware of your surroundings. If people are starting to crowd around, move away.

I've never worn a moneybelt but have left most of my currency and my passport in the hotel or apartment and carried copies. I was terrified of Spain after all the robbery stories I read on the message boards but had a wonderful time.

I think the OP's tale is a good cautionary tale and I'm glad they posted it. I'm glad they still managed to have a good trip.

Thank you emily71 :)

Lantana, I've been to London several times and Paris twice, and only had one incident that I know of where I came close to being pickpocketed (and we knew the warning signs and got out of the situation). Don't be afraid, just be AWARE. Keep a close eye on your stuff, especially in crowded areas like the Tube or metro or tourist destinations, and don't carry around more than you need to. Keep a spare credit or ATM card in your hotel room just in case, and make copies of all your cards. "Figuring out the currencies" isn't a big deal - really the only difference is that you'll be dealing with 1- and 2-pound coins (same for euros). Other than that, it's just bills and cents like in the States. They're all clearly marked, especially the euro bills.

I don't wear a money belt. That's personal preference; I might do so if I were traveling on a night train, or moving from city to city and therefore had all my stuff with me. If it makes you feel safer, go for it. Most importantly, be prepared and then have fun. You'll have a great time. I see from your other threads that your daughter is 15. Traveling abroad when I was a teenager was one of the best things I ever did - it gave me so much more confidence traveling as an adult.