Nano

Hi All, <BR>Just back from our trip to Dordogne/Paris/Brussels and I am sorry to report that we had three pickpocket attempts in about a week's time. The first was on the Paris metro, when four young girls came hurling toward me with lots of commotion just before a metro stop. The girls tried to distract me by lifting their shirts up almost to their breasts, while one girl hung her sweatshirt over her arm and over my purse, which was across my shoulder in front of me. Luckily, I figured out quickly what was going on and started yelling at the kid, "Get away from me, you pickpocket!" They got off at the next stop. <BR>The second atttempt was made by too young boys just outside the metro, on the street. They tried to get my husband's wallet out of his pocket and he felt it and shooed them away. They used the same trick of the coat hung over the arm so that it blocks the other hand reaching into a pocket or purse. My husband had all his money, etc. in a money belt, so I wasn't quite sure why the heck he still carried a wallet. (He later told me he felt 'naked' without it. I think he also derived some sick satisfaction from foiling thieves. <BR>The third attempt was the creepiest. We were leaving the Paris Gare du Nord train station for Brussels and while we were all (husband and our three kids) trying to find our seats, a 30-something guy who was holding a train ticket and appeared to be looking for his seat, started going through my husband's pocket. Then, after he was caught, he still sat right behind us on the train. It seemed like he was working with others on the train. After the first attempt, we were vigilant and my kids ended up getting pretty good at keeping watch. We were such obvious targets. I guess what was most depressing was how young the children were who tried to steal from us. I felt more or less comfortable with my purse hanging across my shoulder in front of me. The pickpocket incidents did not in any way mar our trip to Europe, but it was quite an eye opener for our children and gave them much to write about in their travel journals. I'll post a trip report soon.

John

Damn, I was just in Paris two weeks agao and no group of teenage girls tried to show me their breasts! I must be doing something wrong!!!

Lori

Why oh why oh why do women insist on carrying pocketbooks while on vacation? What is in them that is to important. I take some cash, maybe a credit card, put it in my front pocket and away I go. Don't have to worry about toting around a pocketbook. Have been to Europe many many times and never had a problem.

Jean

And the pickpockets are alive and well in Rome, also (as I saw firsthand last month; 3 pickpocket attempts on our group in 1 day). <BR>Lori, I took a tiny purse, worn badelero (forgive my spelling!) style. The only thing I carried was a mirror & lipstick, plus about 2,000 lira. I didn't carry anything I couldn't afford to lose. I admit my vanity -- I don't look right without my lipstick, so I had to carry my tiny purse on days I didn't wear clothing with pockets!

no

I just returned from a 2 week trip to Italy and France. I was obviously a tourist, but no attempts were made to pickpocket me. I had a purse which I kept in front of me, but I kept money, credit cards, etc. in my money belt. A friend on the same trip got his wallet stolen at the Vatican- he let his guard down. A man on the Paris metro claimed a pickpocket had her hand in his pocket, to which a Parisian on the train replied, "They're everywhere." The most annoying thing that ever happened was in Paris- young girls and women with babies hanging around the Office of Tourism or major tourist attractions asking if I spoke English and then shoving some damn card in my face. Other than that, I had a great time with no problems whatsoever. Except the rain in Paris, but that's another story.

Nano

Lori, some of my pants and skirts don't have front pockets. So, in my tiny over-the-shoulder purse, I carried a few Francs, my French/English translation guide(just for restaurants), and my carnet of metro tickets. There was nothing I couldn't bear to lose. I let my husband carry all the important stuff in his money belt- he didn't mind the extra bulge in HIS pants. <BR> <BR>

Capo

Sorry you had those experiences, but also glad to hear they didn't spoil your trip. <BR> <BR>Pick<I>pockets</I> can't pick anything out of your pockets -- except maybe some lint -- if your pockets are empty.