Tip to Impact Pickpockets
 

Returned recently from Madrid and was pickpocketed. Of course it can happen anywhere though in mentioning the story, another MD I work with also was pickpocketed-maybe a coincidence. Quite surprised as I have lived in urban cities, travel frequently and took normal precautions without ever having an incident in the past. They were so good, got it out of a front pocket that was under velcro. Good thing, I thinned my wallet prior to travel and had my credit card/passport in a spearate place. Lost cash and a debit card. But here is a tip-I had recently purchased a new condo for rental purposes and could not remember the code. I placed the code number for the condo in my wallet. So when my debit card was stolen, they thought they hit paydirt with the code also. But instead it was the code from my condo front gate. Luckily the bank registered unusual activity and they were not able to charge or get any cash. Also glad my debit and credit card have a photo on the front of the card. I now carry a fake code in my wallet at all times, in case I ever get hit again.

They got it out of a front pocket and it was under velcro...and please tell us what distraction they used because I suspect it was a very very good one..or were you "indisposed" when the actual event took place?

hotnphonix, so sorry. Everything exactly the same except the pocket where the moneyçcredit card where happened to us in Madrid last March. We also have lived in urban cities, Paris, New York, travel frequently
and took normal precautions.....the answer is they are getting better at it PLUS they are getting a lot of experts from other countries...global economy I guess.

My sister has lived in Europe and traveled all over for several years, and Madrid is the one place she got pickpocketed!

buzzing traveler - are you listening?

OP - good tip

One way not to lose your wallet is not to carry one -- the day's cash in one pocket and a credit card in another, or in a zippered pocket inside a purse or tote. The wallet is the easy grab for those expert thieves.

So sorry that happened to you. I also would like to know how the heck the pulled off that one.

The only place I have ever had my pocket (bag) picked was in Bloomingdale's one New York Thanksgiving weekend, when I wasn't paying attention.

However, stories like this make me continue to wonder why people want to take passports, tickets, cards with them when they go out. I still feel that a hotel would have to be really unsavourty for me to decide tonot to leave my valuables there.

The only place I have ever had my pocket (bag) picked was in Bloomingdale's one New York Thanksgiving weekend, when I wasn't paying attention.

We went to Barcelona for a weekend recently and having heard stories of muggings and pickpockets, left virtually everything at home - even my wedding ring, which, being over 100 years old, I don't want to lose. Of course, being well prepared, we didn't encounter anyone the least bit suspicious or dangerous

However, stories like this make me continue to wonder why people want to take passports, tickets, cards with them when they go out. I still feel that a hotel would have to be really unsavoury for me to decide not to leave my valuables there. Some cash and one card is just about right.

I don't know why people must say that "it can happen anywhere" when it is simply a fact that pickpocketing is more likely in some cities and countries than others. And Madrid is one of them, but people don't want to people it.

I am also very curious as to how someone pickpocketed you, except that I gather you weren't as careful as you thought -- if they unripped the velcro, that's all it took, that's isn't any real obstacle. So either you weren't paying any attention so your own pants (or the noise), or they did it and immediately ran off the train, so even when you know it there is nothing you can do about it. I've seen that happen to guys, especially when they are standing around the metro doors.

I've never been pickpocketed, including in Madrid, but I don't carry my wallet around in my pants pockets, whether under velcro or not. When I was there, I heard several folks saying they were pickpocketed also, when talking to the desk clerk at my hotel.

But it can happen anywhere, of course.

Oh BTW, it happened on the metro on the way to airport. Thought I was paying attention, but trains were packed (so for other posters-I was not indisposed and not an option to not carry necessities (money, cards, passport) with you as you are leaving the country. Hopefully, we all know not to wander around traveling during the day with passport and wads of cash. Luckily they didn't get much cash as I was spending down my euros in preparation of leaving the country that day.

The idea, common on this board, that you can protect yourself against a really expert -- that is, really expert -- pickpocket is almost certainly false.

You may have seen the pickpocket on the Travel Channel who entertains by removing people's watches, neckties, wallets, etc while they remain entirely unaware, even though they _know_ he is trying to "steal" their items? Like magic shows, it is all in the distraction. Believe me, this guy and people at his skill level, could have your hidden waist belt off in seconds, and you would never even know it.

Thus no blame attaches if you take reasonable precautions and still get hit. It is like driving safely and having some idiot drive right into you. It happens. Just do what you can to prevent it, have a backup plan, and relax.

One lesson to be learned from hotnphoenix's experience: transport services to and from airports are happy hunting grounds for pickpockets. I would be very careful about using a metro when it seems obvious that I might be carrying valuables, and I would certainly not use a crowded one where I cannot make space around myself and see where people's hands might be.

European countries treat pickpocketing as a misdemeanor. I have seen the same gang operating in Kraków many times. There is a similar group in Warszawa. Gdańsk and Katowice have groups of 'gypsy' women accosting travelers. The police apparently allow this...as a kind of business. I have friend who wears a T-shirt with a pocket inside out under his shirt and coat. In 20 years no one has managed to broach his cache.

Since the OP has purposely not responded I have decided that he was absolutely stoned when someone got a wallet out of a velcro-closed front pocket.

The OP did respond on 7/03.

I am probably just not awake yet, but I can't quite see how carrying a fake code helps you. Could someone explain this to me please?

To: K, I wondered about this, too. I THINK the implication is that the thief will mistake the code for your debit card PIN and try to use it and fail and that usage will be recorded by your bank as "unusual activity" and will be on alert and deny transactions.

In all this furore, I hope that Kayd's suggestion did not go unnnoticed: not carrying a wallet is the best insurance policy against not having a wallet stolen. The simple measure of carrying only the cash and cards you need in 3/4 different pockets is an old cop's trick that still works-my Dad taught me this and both of us have lived through unsuccessful attempts to relieve of us the wallets-that-weren't.

Kristine, a fake code causes the thief a moment of disappointment.

Wouldn't it be good if one particular fake code used in conjunction with a card triggered a system so that the card was retained and activated whatever security measures were available at the location?

Some debit cards only allow you to try 3 times before shutting the card down - so if the theif tried to enter the condo entry code three times, it activated the alert warning to the debit company, and the card is then shut down. Some banks shut it down for one day so you can try again the next day, and some banks require you to come into a branch to reset the code. There was a day where I totally blanked out on my PIN number, and after my third try, I was out of luck.

Gsteed, wondering if you have any info on the modus operandi of the "gang" in Krakow. We're heading there and would like some tips on what to look out for!

Padraig: What an excellent Idea!

The repetive (three or more times) use of the wrong code usually freezes a bank acct., just as it does w/ computer at work. However the use of a phoney code designated JUST in case the info is stolen is a good idea.

The only possible issue might be that some people may forget it is
the phoney one. I work in a bank and the customer are asked 2 specific security questions for use in identifying themselves in case if an emergency. About 1/3 of the customers forget what they originally gave as the answer to one of the secuity questions. It is a question not a word or code and they still don't know.

But the idea may still work.

But wouldn't it also effectively "freeze" your entry to your own account?

I think that this is a good idea. I had problem with my debit card and entered incorrect number 3 times. The ATM machine kept my card and my bank froze my account. If someone stole your card the same thing would probably happen when they tried to enter the fake number. You might want to write the number where it is hard to read. That way they would probably try multiple times.

This happened to me in Prague. I asked the bank to hold my card until I could get my account unfrozen but by the time I got my account unfrozen they had destroyed my card. I closed out my account and started a new account.

Kraków update. Gang of three selects victim and waits until they board train. One or two men are in the car and appear to be trying to get out or through to another car. Third man approaches from the other direction. Victim is 'sandwiched'. One escape ploy is to drop to the floor and attempt to roll into a compartment. Gang leaves train at next stop...catching a ride back to start again.

thank you, Gsteed. We will be taking the train to Warsaw, so will be careful about not letting anyone in between us!

Thanks to those who explained the "wrong" code idea. I hadn't picked up on the fact that the thief's use of the wrong code is what alerted the bank to shut down the card.

LJ - yes. You would just need to go to the bank with your ID and verify yourself as the owner of the account and they'll set you up with a new card/password and your account is yourse to use again. It is a PITA but - a very very minor inconvenience compared to what if a theif had successfully accessed your bank acount.