Pickpockets go after anything that is easily accessible. So, the best "trick" is just to ensure that anything important to you is not.

I've spent years in travels of Europe and have been approached by pickpockets six times. The last attempt was at an outdoor show I was watching at Trafalgar Square, London. Another man tapped me on the shoulder and told me that the woman behind me was trying to get my wallet out of my back pocket. I had already put it in my deep front pants pocket so there was no real threat. But I turned and stared down the little wench who was obviously not a true Brit.

My favorite defense against the gypsies is to take their photo, either with a video camcorder or a still camera. I always carry one or both and keep them ready for action. The thieves scatter like rabbits when I aim at them. These are some of my best travel photos.

I close my pockets with safety pins.

((I))

I plan on making another posting on Fodors for the France forum, but saw your question today. My husband was "mugged" in the Paris metro - Opera/Bastille station on April 29 around 5:40 pm. He had asked for help at the info booth next to the ticket dispensers, and the woman came out to help him. We suspect the two teenage "Romanie" - gypsies - were watching for tourists like us and easily identified us. They probably saw that my husband put his wallet in his left front pants pocket. Once through the turnstile, they started in with "Anglais! Futbol" and kept trying to grab my husband's left hand as we walked down the WRONG passage (we managed to go away from the train area). When my husband said "enough," the guy grabbed my husband's hand, brought my husband's hand and arm across my husband's chest and up to his neck. Then the guy reached into the pocket without my husband having any idea -- all he could focus on was his arm and neck. We spent three hours at the police station and before leaving, the policewoman told us a Chinese couple had just come in to report the EXACT SAME THING at the Hotel de Ville station. The police expressed great concern because this was not a "simple pickpocketing" but involved physical aggression. Yes, we probably should have turned around and walked back the way we came, but we believe the two guys would have tackled him for the wallet. I like the idea of safety pins!

As a woman, it may seem hard to envision life without a purse/handbag. Get over it. If you don't carry one, you are much less likely to be targeted by thieves and pickpockets. I have weaned myself from dependence on purses when traveling and it is freeing.

For me this means sticking a credit/debit card and some cash in a pocket, inside if possible. Another pocket takes the slimline camera and a lipstick. I use a folding map and my trusty notebook and pen, tucked in a jacket pocket. I don't like the addiction to guide-books, prefer to read in advance and just jot a few notes. You can catch up later.

If you really feel unsafe leaving your passport in the hotel safe, then go wild and purchase one of those cloth bags that hang inside your T-shirt.

This leaves hands and mind free to actually experience what you are seeing.

DH uses the same minimalist technique-we have traveled all over and never felt deprived of 'stuff'. More to the point of this (recurring) thread, we are of little interest to pick-pockets or other thieves appearing, as I assume we do, too much effort.

bookmarking

PacSafe zipper socks and their bags with fasteners. That said, we just had a backpack swiped from our truck as we were getting gas in a well-lit station in a good neighborhood in Barcelona as I turned away to get something handed to me for a split second. Can't lat your guard down for a minute!

I don;t get it. If anyone - anyone - touches you at all you should be screaming your head off for the police and flailing back at your attackers. I don;t understand why people don;t react. If someone touched me in any way I would be screaming and smashing them with my handbag - and my companion - assuming I had one - would be pulling them off me. (I've given people in the NYC subway an elbow in the gut a couple of times - for leaning on me -not trying to steal anything. And they always move away and get off at the next stop. Really I think an awful lot of us need assertiveness training.

And if you see anything you think is suspicious you should stay in the busiest place - call for police and help - and make the biggest scene you can - to scare off your assailants.

I have been pickpocketed walking down the street in Sydney - they grabbed some cash from my back pocket - but have never felt concerned in New York. My best advice is to not carry anything in your back pockets or external zippers of backpacks, etc.

I have a cross-body bag that takes me forever to get into (zippers, flaps and buckles), so I don't worry too much about pickpockets, but in the past I've taken "quick links" with me and slip one through the hole in the zipper pull and then through the link of the shoulder strap. It would take too much time and effort for anybody to try to "unlink" it. I also use them in various ways on the zippers of my luggage when I can't use TSA locks.

Simple - Keep nothing in your pockets that will affect your trip if you're picked.

Awareness of surroundings and potential ploys/ extra deep front trouser pockets or pinned or velcroed shallow front trouser pockets/ passport and back up cash and cards in small pouch hanging across neck and below one arm and under tucked-in clothing. Dark glasses useful for avoiding eye contact.

Carry no wallet, divide credit card and cash between two secure spots, e.g., front jeans pockets, pockets inside jackets, small zipper pockets inside handbag. The wallet is the easy-grab item -- professional thieves can reach into a purse, tote, or trouser pocket and remove it without being noticed, but they aren't likely to fumble around in tight spaces to find small flat items like folded banknotes.

If it's hard for you to get to your wallet, it's hard for pickpockets, too—and vice versa. So to some extent you have to choose between convenience and safety.

Spbarca, sensible question! W

Otzi, LOL getting something out of it from a front pat-down (-:

Zeppole--Bravissima!!! Beautifully expressed!!

I'm a born 'n bred New Yorker, so a certain self-protectiveness and awareness was instilled. But i'd never think street crime can't happen to me...it has... or when/ if it does, it's all my fault.
Pulleaze!!

Screaming would not have done us much good as the Metro passageway where we were walking was empty except for the two "Romanie thugs" and us. I was ready to scream if there was a "next time." Is pepper spray legal in France?

No, pepper spray is not legal without a permit.

In the late 80's we were outside the Rome train station. 2 little kids came up to me trying to sell newspapers, it looked like. In my mind I was thinking that I obviously looked like an American GI, why would I want a newspaper. Check my front pocket, no wallet.
I yelled to my wife that they stole my wallet. My lovely wife (also a GI) grabbed one kid, me the other and started shaking them and yelling (luckily there was a barrier between the sidewalk and street so they were not able to scamper off). A crowd gathered, getting a little ticked off that we would abuse kids. Grandma (the lookout) came up and quickly pointed to the ground, where the punk had thrown my wallet down. The crowds mood changed quickly, and we went on our way.
To come back and find our car had been broken into! So far I've only been pickpocketed that one time, but had my car broken into in Rome, Ireland, Germany and Syracuse NY. So obviously I have no car safety info to give!

Very good advice. Not at all pleasant to fall into such a situation. I will definitely take advantage of your posts

I do travel with a backpack (unless going out to a nice dinner etc). I keep anything of value down deep in the large compartment with other things on top of it and use a small lock to lock the 2 zippers together. I also have one outer pocket with 2 zippers and those get locked together as well. Lastly, I don't wear the backpack on my back, but keep one strap over my shoulder and tuck the whole thing under that arm. Look for me in Rome this way in July!