Well, this certainly has been a wake-up call for me, one of those "big guys" who does everything right and thinks that it won't happen to me. <BR>Thanks to all for sharing these unpleasant stories.<BR><BR>To add to Darla's comments about the situation in London, I recall large posters in certain stations, "Warning - Pickpockets are known to frequent this station" That was enough for me, and many others I'm sure, to move the wallet to a front pocket. Simple, cheap, and effective. Granted we should not need reminders, but we do.

While in Paris last month, my mom and I were walking to the metro station from Musee d'Orsay in the rain. We were sharing an umbrella and a boy about the age of 11 or 12 (who was with a group of boys) tried to unzip one of the pockets of my backback. Mom caught him and started to yell and he just looked back with this innocent look of surprise. I'm usually very aware of my surroundings, but this caught me off guard. If he had taken anything, he would have been disappointed, the only thing in the pocket as a map of Paris, tissue, and lip balm. This wasn't my first run in with pick pockets in Paris, but I was even more cautious this trip, picket pockets just aren't on the metro.

We have been the target of the "high school" kids crowding onto the Metro--they are groups of gypsy kids who can do this because persons under 16 cannot be prosecuted in France. We had watched this unusual group prior to getting on the car so were a bit heightened in awareness. We saw them several times again during 2 trips last year--VERY full of attitude. They were at Opera most often.

Last summer, my wife and I were visiting Paris with friends when the husband had a pickpocketing incident. One afternoon we were getting on a busy subway train. My wife and I got on first, along with my friend's wife. Somehow two men got between us and my friend blocking his access to the train. As the doors were about to close, my friend had to push through the two men to get on the train. After he did, the two men immediately jumped off and the subways doors closed. Seeing them jump off and run away with a third man, my friend immediately checked his wallet (which had been in his front pocket) and found out it was gone. It had taken just a second and he had never felt anything. Sadly, it ruined the trip for our friends, and they never intend to go back again.

Gypsies are worthless. Why don't they hang people in France anymore?

Very sorry to hear about your losses..<BR><BR>Anything you can't afford to lose should be kept in a well-concealed, under-the-clothing, moneybelt/pouch.

Great thread. Here are some things I do. I am the sole keeper of the money, my wife just keeps a little bit of emergency money. I don't carry much money with me and only one credit card. I always put my wallet in my front pocket. If I get into a crowded train or bus, I always keep my hand in my pocket where the wallet is. If I see any gypsies or a group of kids approach us, I immediately point to the group and vigorously wag my finger. If they keep coming I tell them to stop. If I suspect something fishy, I immediately try to do something to show that I'm on to them and as publicly as possible. Situations like these is no time to be worrying about whether you're being rude or not.

The same thing happened to us in Barcelona. But they only got my wife's glass case, which they returned as if it had fallen out of the purse during the "accident." No reason not to use the M&eacute;tro. We've had Gupsy children try to pickpocket us on the streets of Paris (they crowd around you, presumably begging), but that won't stop us from walking. I've seen some pretty good pickpocketing on a San Francisco bus, so the bus could also present problems.

Considering the senseless killings that are so prominent in the US, I'm always a bit relieved to worry ONLY about pickpockets. In the US, your pocket gets picked AFTER you are beaten or shot.

It seems like alot of you are assuming that the pickpockets won't get aggressive. At some point they quit being "pickpockets" and become "muggers" or worse. We witnessed a tourist couple being mugged in France last year, young men held the man's arms and went through his pockets while another young man threatened the wife.<BR>He had on a money belt and they reached under his waist band and pulled it off. We couldn't help because we were in a cab and the driver just shrugged at the sight.

If you're actually going to get mugged -- which I'd consider violent crime as opposed to petty crime like pickpocketing -- then, yes, having things of value concealed in a moneybelt/pouch probably won't help all that much.

Lonnie, I'm not saying pickpockets will never get aggressive, I just think it's the exception rather than the rule. Out of the people in Paris that are victims of pickpockets, I can't imagine a very high % of those people were physically harmed. I still say I would rather walk through Paris at night than Chicago or NYC.

Well of course you can get mugged in any big city, and sometimes small cities too. Is getting physically hurt the fine line between pickpocketing and mugging? I am just pointing out that if you resist or if the mugger is persistent the situation can escalate.<BR>Too many people are out there preying on easy marks. But what can you do, stay home? Just be aware, it is a shame but it is a fact.

As a New Yorker I'm constantly on my guard. And although at home I commit the greatest of self defense faux pas – I carry my wallet in my rear pocket – when I travel, I leave my regular wallet at home, and take with me a thin ID wallet with only some cards I know I’ll need. I carry this in the front pocket of my trousers and carry a money belt with a larger sum of cash, and mine and my wife’s passports. And, I never, never react to beggars or people engaged in any kind of commotion on the street if they seem in troubl . It may be rude, but especially in an unfamiliar city, with people you can’t easily identify as one “type” or another you have to be overly careful. <BR><BR>One time I was accosted in Rome by a small Gypsy and a horde of children. I almost literally had to drag the hag’s claws out of my pocket, as the little ones pawed me into a corner by Trevi Fountain. Just when I caught her reaching for my pocket, my wife, who was separated from me by the kiddies yelled out. The crone just smiled at me and waddled away with her heard. Really put a damper on the day – Needed some Gelato after that!<BR>

On a lighter note, when we were on a river cruise and we stopped at our first stop to be shown around town in Italy. We looked at each other in the group and broke out laughing at our "hidden" lumps of cash and credit cards under our shirts, blouses and under our belts and around our calves. <BR>We all looked like we had some strange disease, hey, maybe that is a good idea to ward off pickpockets, like we have something that is communicable!

Wow! After reading this thread, I'm glad I just got back from Paris, instead of just going. Actually, it's good to be warned, and especially to hear firsthand experiences. I rode the Metro constantly while there, and didn't run into any problems at all. I feel lucky! However, I must say I am extremely vigilant, wear a money belt most of the time, and leave passport, extra credit cards and cash in the hotel safe. Anyway, I'm going to remember this thread next year when I go again. Thanks!

On our last trip to France (October) I took to wearing my backpack purse against my chest...had never done that before but met so many tourists who had been the victims of pickpockets. The previous year, in Aix, sensed that 2 young men walking behind me had moved in very close, then I felt the zipper go down. I confronted them as we were crossing a busy street and they certainly knew how angry I was as I assaulted their ears in both French and English. The little one looked scared, the older one simply nonchalant; I was lucky as they got nothing. Along the Rue de Ricoli, near the Louvre, a kindly shopkeeper told my friend and I to wear our bags backward and pointed out a gang of kids who were targeting tourists. Now, the strange thing that did happen occured one evening about 7:30 as my friend and I were just starting to cross the bridge at Place de la Concorde. We noticed a man approaching from the opposite direction; as he stepped to our side we stepped the reverse. He stepped sideways again and ended up in front of us. As we went to pass around him, he muttered something and the next thing I knew I was almost down as the result of a "sucker punch " to the head. My friend was amazed I wasn't out cold. A policeman was standing at the centre of the bridge; telling him my story and pointing out the man solicited only a shrug. When I got more vocal, asking what was the point of him standing there wearing a bullet-proof vest, no less, he directed me to the local police standing on the far side of the bridge. By then, of course the whole idea of them coming to my aid was laughable. The owner of our hotel apologized profusely that this should happen and was disgusted, but not surprised, that this was how the police reacted. To this day my friend and I cannot figure out what caused the incident...did I remind him of a hated ex-wife, did we look like inhabitants of some country he didn't like? Who knows.

I too would like to have the Paris police do something about the pickpockets that plague the metro. A couple of years ago a couple not more than 20 years old were boarding one carriage to the next in search of victims. Ironically, while we were waiting to board the train I noticed them doing this. However, I did not notice that I was set-up. They obviously followed us and, as the carriage was a bit full, the guy used that excuse to get behind me to unzip my bag while the girl pretended to ask for the time from me. Luckily our stop came up and just as soon as the door closed and we left, I noticed my bag was unzipped. He almost got everything. They were so fast that no one in my group noticed what they were doing. But of course, after reading so many stories, we are becoming aware of the different ways these crooks use.<BR><BR>The funny thing is we went to Rome last year and were so attuned to pickpockets but nothing happened. No we did not take public transportation but we walked in very crowded areas using backpacks and it was okay. Maybe we were just lucky. Or maybe Rome is doing more than Paris to alleviate this problem.

hmm... Paris police to do more about pickpocket? At least for those coming from the US (I am one) that seems to be a hypocritical statement. We (US) are releasing "non-violent" offenders from jails early because of the overcrowding? In our city, the car theft is a non-violent crime and police just don't care. Each jurisdiction decides what law enforcement priority get mayor, city council, governor, congressman,etc elected. I do not like law enforcement based on what gets ballot, appearance of crime fighting when the statistics candidates don't like to be quoted say otherwise. I don't think what Paris is doing is any worth than what is happening in US cities.

Tim, true, I understand what you're saying. But Paris is filled with visitors. And the main offenders are pickpockets. Is it not the local jurisidiction's responsibility to ensure that their visitors are safe?