Pickpocketing prevention tip
 

Lots of people visiting Europe are extremely worried about pickpocketing as though it did not exist in their own country. Well, it exists just about everywhere but at home you are not nearly as distracted by things as when you are a tourist.

One effective prevention method is the "Velcro solution" but frankly who wants to put Velcro on every pocket flap or bag or backpack?

I have found another method extremely effective: the plastic bag. They come in all sizes and thickness so they can be adapted to just about every situation. If you stuff a small plastic bag on top of anything in your "interesting" pockets, it will confuse and thwart just about anybody with an agile hand. If you flatten a plastic bag over the contents under the zip opening of a backpack or handbag, it will prevent the items underneath from being snatched.

Plastic bags are becoming rare in many places for ecological reasons, but a wad of paper or a couple of sheets of newspaper are equally efficient.

I will not claim that this is 100% effective because your personal vigilance is required as well, but these methods will certainly help you to protect your stuff without the purchase of super duper expensive bags or special anti-theft travel apparel.

Not bad.

Surrounding yourself with easier targets works too.

When in Europe, I always protect my wallet behind Kevlar Body Armor apparel

I like the idea of confusing the pickpockets.

This reminds me of a trip I took with my older brother. He felt a hand going into his pocket on the Metro, then saw the young pickpocket jumping off quickly at the stop. The accomplice, however was a little slower. My brother managed to grab him around the neck with his arm and prevent him from getting off the car. Realizing his accomplices predicament, the pickpocket threw my brother's wallet back at him in the car, and my brother released the accomplice. Off they went.

Interesting idea. I will continue to wear my money belt, though.

I squirt mustard on people first as a preemptive measure.

A loaded gun would work so much better, but, alas, France has those very tiresome firearms laws.

We just shoot thieves in Philadelphia (and Texas).

If you think I would stuff the pockets of my Brioni trousers with sandwich baggies, you more daft than Michel Houellebecq.

Thin

I usually carry a plastic grocery store bag or two in my day bag for stops at the local store to pickup wine, snacks, or whatever. I will now put them on top of my other items but it will be a pain to make sure my camera is always beneath the bags.

Do we have to tip the pickpocketer ?
I put dog poo in my pockets. If somebody get dirty hands I know he is a thief.

Honestly, I do what everybody says not to do : I keep my wallet in my front pocket. I think I'd feel if somebody went into it. I also pay attention, tourist or not.

But there is an scam/trick going on on parkings of supermarkets : a girl comes towards you and drops her bag. you help her getting her stuff together, and she is lovely and wants to thank you. Then she proposes to accompany you in your car and does things I cannot write here. Then you realize you wallet is gone. It happened to me last saturday. At 10 am, 1 pm, 3 pm and 6 30 pm.

You poor thing, whathello.

Where was this Whathello? I'm sure some of the fodorites want to know, so they can avoid this place. Or not ;-)

Four times in 8 and a half hours whathello? Those were the days!

find it best stitch up my pockets, but then I can't get my hands out.

I was nearly pickpocketed last week in Riga. First time ever, in ten trips to Europe! I was climbing some steps near the train station with my bags, carrying a bag of fast food in one of them. Very stupid - I guess I've become complacent!

Anyway, as I struggled slightly up the stairs, a young couple dressed like tourists whisked past me and the woman ever-so-slightly reached her hand into my front pocket as she brushed past. I immediately yelled and pushed her away, almost knocking her over. Of course, they yelled at ME like *I* was crazy - and for a moment, I thought maybe I was. But another guy near by saw the commotion and chatted with them before they fled. Then he told me, "Those bad people!"

This was a very brazen attempt, too - the area was not crowded at all. I've been climbed up many steps just like this that were mobbed with people and it would have been easier perhaps to squeeze in and snatch something. (Then again, harder to run away.)

I had been thinking about how to prevent this in the future (besides putting my wallet + passport away more securely not not being so stupidly vulnerable when moving with bags), and I too had thought of the "paper in my pocket" idea. I was planning to try that in St. Petersburg this week. (I have a few plastic bags with me too.) Great minds think alike!

I keep so much junk in my handbag that even I can't find my wallet.

Another fool-proof method is to refrain from bathing and carry all your stuff in a grocery cart.

I follow a few things
1. Never carry large chunk of money with me. Keep my passports and money in the hotel room locker. Distribute my small currency (not more than 100 Euros) in different front pockets and some with my wife.

2. Wear a flat money belt inside my pants. This has been very effective. And god forbid, if someone reaches inside your pants, then you have a lot more to lose. I also have a sling like a revolver belt that comes in my armpit, but found it inconvenient.

3. I invest in good sleeveless reversible jackets that have 4 pockets with zips on either side. I keep my money (small quantity apart from my money belt) and passports in the inner zip pockets of my jacket. When it is cold, I either wear a full sleeves jacket with inner pockets or a jacket over my sleeveless jacket.
We also get a cotton inner wear like a banyan with a pocket in the front. Layered clothing always works.

4. I never use a day bag or a sling bag or a wallet to carry currency notes. Don't allow my wife to carry money in the purse. Carry everything distributed on the body.
Never take a small haversack on my back while boarding a bus or a train. I take it in the front on my chest while boarding.

5. I use prepaid currency (Euro in Europe) cards that I buy in my country before I leave. They work like debit cards.

6. I have a sling bag for my DSLR, which does not look like a camera bag. I try not to look like a tourist. Try not to carry a paper map but use a mini pad or phone app for the maps.

If my husband wears a sleeveless reversible jacket with pockets on holiday, he can go on his own...

Or do you think I should buy him one for our upcoming holiday to California? Do we need a moneybelt in San Francisco? Or should I put all my money in my bra while in LA?

I was just thinking of taking my new Jerome Dreyfuss bag, or maybe a cross body LV satchel. Silly me.

<i> Or should I put all my money in my bra while in LA?</i>

Yes. This or in your sock is the preferred method to store cash.

Thank you Sparkchaser, I'll keep that in mind. Any tips on how not to look like a tourist while in the USA? I fear they may target me, as a clueless European.

As a native American (not Native American) I would be more than happy to assist you.

Do you have a ball cap? If not, get this and wear it everywhere, including restaurants. ttp://amzn.to/1t17R3C If it comes with a hologram sticker, leave it on and DO NOT bend the bill.

Get some flip flops and wear those instead of whatever European footwear you were planning on bringing. Or, if you want to store your money in your socks, get some Nike running shoes. The more garish the color, the better.

Oh, and don't forget to rent a gun.

Have fun!

leaving your passport in the safe.

Some countries you need to carry it,it's the law.

Do we have to tip the pickpocketer ?
I put dog poo in my pockets. If somebody get dirty hands I know he is a thief
___
I do that with my stock broker and lawyer also.
_______________________________________________

6. I have a sling bag for my DSLR, which does not look like a camera bag. I try not to look like a tourist. Try not to carry a paper map but use a mini pad or phone app for the maps.
____

How do you disguise your DSLR? And good luck not looking like a tourist. Business people usually avoid the HOHO buses.

<i>Business people usually avoid the HOHO buses.</i>

oh snap

I bring along safety pins, and pin shut my pocket or bag-flap from underneath. It's easy and effective.

I put my wallet in my front pocket while traveling and it was pickpocketed on the tram in Istanbul.

I've found that not wearing any trousers increases my chances of avoiding pickpockets.

No trousers = no pockets to pick. It's so simple.

What really makes the pickpockets give me a wide berth is when I don't wear any pants either.

That's brilliant.

This it the most useful post I've seen on Fodors in a long time!

I don't worry about pickpockets. I have so much junk in my purse, it's impossible to find anything in it. I'm sure a pickpocket or a snatcher will toss it back at me in disgust.

Thank you Sparkchaser. Always useful to get some tips from locals! Though I'm a bit confused. I've done my research, and have based our holiday wardrobe around 'Rich Kids of Beverly Hills' and 'Keeping up with the Kardashians'. Are you saying that this is not appropriate for LA? We thought we'd blend in perfectly.

Tulips, You can keep your money where you want to.
The pickpocket will remember you for life for sure:)
These tips are for Europe or any cold region especially and not hot LA. People in LA anyways use more of plastic ( and Silicon :)

Jay, you are at a risk of either being asked to get out of the cab as the cabbie would keep wondering where you have kept your money or losing your balls:)

On a serious note it's not funny to get robbed while on a trip anywhere.
The wisdom comes from travelling more and to various countries and from ones own mistakes, observing others who make mistakes.
I have gone through most of them. ( My wife's purse with Passports, Pounds , phone and her diamond ring was stolen while 6 of us were dining at a posh Italian restaurant off Oxford Street, London)
Fodors forum gives it all on a platter.

One more thing learnt from Asian and a black street vendor in Barcelona and Italy while I was trying " Not to look like a tourist"

"Sir, you are trying to shield yourself from the browns and the blacks. But the pickpockets are white, mostly east European or Italian or any local person. you will not be able to distinguish them." ( No offence to any particular race or country)

No one loots at a gunpoint. They are scared of law.
They try to create chaos. They can sight a person with lot of hand luggage, maps who is a bit baffled. The confuse him/ her more.

I have seen an American being robbed in a crowded train while getting in at Cinque Terre. He had kept his money in a wallet in the haversack on his back. The worst thing is, that his wife said.. Oh god it has happened again, the same way :(

Anyways, i hope this thread helps those who need it. They can take what they like.
Others can take some gas and laughter.

Paragkash - it's not an issue, I just keep my money (usually coins of the smallest possible denomination) in a rugby sock, safety pinned to my sleeveless vest.

It also acts as a makeshift cosh in case any of the locals get the wrong idea about why I'm not wearing trousers.

It's a win-win!

I just want you to be safe, tulips.

<i>Thank you Sparkchaser. Always useful to get some tips from locals! Though I'm a bit confused. I've done my research, and have based our holiday wardrobe around 'Rich Kids of Beverly Hills' and 'Keeping up with the Kardashians'. Are you saying that this is not appropriate for LA? We thought we'd blend in perfectly.</i>

If you carry around a Whole Foods tote bag, it will send a definite signal that not only are you local but you are clearly upper middle-class material.

<<Sir, you are trying to shield yourself from the browns and the blacks. But the pickpockets are white, mostly east European or Italian or any local person. you will not be able to distinguish them." ( No offence to any particular race or country)>>

Rather strange thing for someone to say to you, out of the blue -- why did he presume you were trying to shield yourself from people of certain colors? Whatever gave him that idea?

In fact, pickpocketing is much more common in Europe than in the US. I don't know why, but it really is and I live in a big city in the US with a metro system. Sure it happens here but nothing like in sme of the big cities in Europe.

an elderly lady in my old hood was walking her dog when two boys on bikes stole her handbag. I would have loved seeing their face to see what their haul was. It was an old purse she used to put her dogs poo in.

Christina, this happened in Barcelona Spain, when I was a bit cautious about my belongings while speaking to a Pakistani street vendor. It must have been obvious. He told me about the Albenian gangs working in the city.

A similar thing happened at the Trevi fountain, Rome.

This things happen in many big cities. Barcelona, Amsterdam Station Road, Rome, Florence, Venice, London are common places.

I just narrated the conversation between a local vendor and me and he told me what he saw happening on the streets by some gangs of Albenian people. It isn't about a country but a certain gang that was operating at that time. This is obviously not a racist comment.
It just says that it can happen in big cities.

I am a woman and travel in slacks. I had a seamstress make simple pockets with a zipper at the top of each. They are tall and just large enough for my passport, euros, and credit cards, tickets/travel passes. Before leaving home I sew one in the INSIDE of the front waistband of each pair of slacks--black pockets for black slacks, skin color for other slacks so pockets don't show through the slacks fabric. As I wear tops out it is fairly easy and not too conspicuous to retrieve/ replace items. I keep small amounts of quick access cash on my purse--not a great loss if stolen.
The pockets are excellent for bus, train, plane when you don't have access to a hotel safe. My husband laughs at me, but we have never had pickpocket problems.

Paragkash
Just because they are so many Eastern European criminals throughout these tourist destination, doesn't make it right to say they are Albanian gangs or Romanians with mustaches and warts. It will give the average Forum reader the idea that Eastern European people have a criminal nature or worse not civilized.
And to quote a Pakistani? Please. Pakistanis think Eastern European peoples are out to pickpocket all of Palestine from the Palestinians