If you find that your attention is drawn elsewhere, remember to keep the safety of your possessions at the front of mind. A "helpful" stranger, often an older lady, appears with a damp cloth ready to help clean you up. Watch me,” Kharem says. The ‘bump and lift’ is the oldest trick in the book for pickpockets, but it relies on a particularly unsuspecting target to work well. Now you also have a better idea of how to avoid pickpockets in Europe or any other place you end up in the world. Various things common on the streets of tourist areas can be used: Other things can be used as deliberate set-ups: Use common sense if you are confronted with a distraction. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It’s often said that the best invitation for a thief is a wallet in the back pocket. A pickpocket team might casually sandwich you between them in order to press against your body. Again, you will certainly notice someone touching you in this area, and it's directly in your line of sight as well. The Eiffel Tower is a hotbed for pickpockets, so visitors should be on high alert. It took him three hours to walk down. The pickpocket is a gray man. In places where people crowd and wait to move in one direction, a pickpocket’s accomplices will create a blockage at a passageway so that more people will gather as they push forward. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This pickpocket technique is often used on unsuspecting tourists in foreign countries. In some places, armed robbery is also a possibility, although that's not strictly considered pickpocketing. Barcelona pickpocket statistics: 6,000 thefts per day on visitors. There may be pickpockets anywhere, but there are some high-risk places; usually the same as for other crime: Traditional open-air markets, especially those selling handicrafts in developing countries, combine many of the above risk factors and are often infested with pickpockets. We were just strolling in the evening in the backstreets of Barcelona while looking at a map like real tourists do and suddenly out of nowhere he sprayed this stuff from what I saw a plastic bottle. Another type of money belt is just a zipper sewn onto the inside surface of an ordinary belt. Again, keep your valuables close to your chest when travelling in crowded places. For example, getting on a crowded bus, the one ahead of you may create a delay so the one behind can get your wallet. The content of this article is general and provided for information purposes only. Peddlers that initiate an argument about change and steal the money from your wallet in meantime. It would be extremely difficult for a thief to steal from your undergarments without you noticing. When a real person is not available, use a mannequin, a coat on a chair, and/or trousers filled with rags. Pickpockets steal small items such as passports, mobile phones and wallets from victims' clothing and bags. “If you’re like a vacuum cleaner, how come you have no money?” Bob asks. In it, he fans out some postcards and pretends to offer them to people at tables who have a valuable item sitting on the table. A "beware of pickpockets" sign so everyone in the area reaches for their wallets to make sure it is still there, enabling the pickpockets to find out where people's wallets are. Train yourself in survival, evasion, resistance, and escape techniques. Techniques of the Professional Pickpocket – A rare Japanese guide in english! Their methods and motivations are exhaustively described at Thiefhunters in Paradise. Kharem wants to talk in relative privacy, so he leads us through a labyrinth of narrow alleys to a bar he knows, where we won’t pay tourist prices. The Pickpocket’s postcard trick | Thiefhunters in Paradise, Thiefhunters in ParadiseScams at restaurant tables » Thiefhunters in Paradise, Thiefhunters in Paradise » Confessions of an airport thief, Thiefhunters in Paradise » Pigeon poop pickpocket, Thiefhunters in Paradise » Barcelona street crime today, Pickpockets, Con Artists, Scammers, and Travel. The luxury versions of money belts have straps with sewn-in wires (or the whole belt is made of this material) and all connections are made of steel and are not easy to open. That a pickpocket wants as little face-time as possible. I amsterdam City Card Honest Review + Guide: How to Make the Most of It! Some pouches have a second strap that goes around your chest; with these it's not possible for the thief to snatch-and-run. https://en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?title=Pickpockets&oldid=3914566, Articles without Wikipedia links (via Wikidata), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, areas where you are obvious, perhaps because you look very different from locals or dress and behave quite differently, areas which draw huge numbers of foreign visitors, such as famous tourist attractions, festivals, or street performances. I don’t know if my shouting in Spanish (“hey que pasa!”) scared him off or just because I busted him in his act. The basics of protecting yourself are common sense: Above all, do not flash your valuables around unnecessarily. The Arab starts to leave and Kharem offers him our extra beer, but he rejects it. Someone sprays you with ketchup or some other substance. In a standard scheme, the "stall" suddenly stops in front of the mark so that the mark bumps into her. Separate your money. “I’m going to go among the tables in the plaza, among the people dining there. We catch up on the year’s news as best we can. Kharem’s new M.O. Pseudo Pickpocket by Christopher Congreave and Gary Jones - DVD Pseudo Pickpocket This is a brilliant and commercial plot that Chris Congreave and Gary Jones have been performing at their gigs to fantastic spectator reactions. Simply adding fasteners (velcro, buttons or zippers) makes picking the pocket harder. Stand behind your mark and make a narrow “V” with your index and middle fingers. Once you have a mark, tail him until an opportunity presents itself. You get the idea, though. Pickpocketing is an unfortunate reality of travelling, but a reality nonetheless. Better yet, as a proactive measure, leave your valuables and anything else you don’t really need with you locked away in the hotel safe while you're out exploring, or carry cash and cards in a money belt beneath your clothes. Imagine being able to get a signed, or a merely thought of card, into a spectators wallet. You can have additional pockets sewn into garments in odd places. There are a few strategies you can use to avoid a frightening drive-by theft like this: Deterrents like these might just be enough to make thieves look elsewhere for a target. This will also prevent bag snatchers. Attach your wallet to a chain. Bob moved toward Kharem and I followed. Savvy Travelers: Don't Be Outwitted By Pickpockets, Pickpockets Work With a Nasty Bag of Tricks to Divert Your Attention, Neighbor-spoofing Robocalls Are the New Nuisance, Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. Bob wanted to go say hello. The thief lit up and gave us hugs. For example, you can spill something on him (preferably something hot) or bump into him while pretending to be drunk. Easy targets . Not some pervert fetish of some kind but a preperation for a pickpocket scam. Thirteen Pickpocket Techniques to Avoid While Traveling Greetings from London, England! There are many ways to stash your money and passport where it will be quite a bit more difficult to grab it. In this article you will learn some basic pickpocketing techniques. He walked fast but paused frequently to touch someone, say a word, greet a stranger like a friend. These may also be used to cut the strap on a purse, shoulder bag, or camera quickly. sewing a zipper on the inside of a belt to make a money belt, sewing a long narrow pocket on the inside of a jacket, from high up near the lapel down diagonally to near the hip. Pickpocketing isn’t always a delicate affair or an art of distraction. When caught before the lift is complete, play it off as an accidental bump. Also, the drawstring can be tied around your wrist when at a table to protect against snatch-and-run thieves. Knowing a few common pickpocket techniques will also help you in pickpocket protection. There are people who prey on cleaning women who don’t have papers, and they rob them at the end of the month, when it’s likely they’ll be carrying cash. A skilled pickpocket can get to any pocket, but as an amateur, you should avoid: Pick your mark’s pocket is when he is distracted. This is because any sensation from a greater force nullifies that of a lesser force. Don’t go down those narrow alleys in Naples! You oblige, taking their camera and focusing on the small screen. They said they wanted to take him to the police station, but instead, they drove him up to Montjuïc. The sandwich, the bottleneck, and the actor - these are just a few of the cunning techniques used by pickpockets around the world. As you watch them, a tiny hand is exploring the depths of your backpack. Wear packs in front of you, not at the rear or side. Also, a person who finds or drops money on the street isn't going to offer it to you. Pickpockets use a variety of techniques, and only some of them are covered here. Be cautious about money inside a shoe: after a few months of trekking, paper money can disintegrate, so check every day when you are definitely alone. Learn how your comment data is processed. “If I had a gun I would shoot them. The information on this website is made public for reference only. He points out the scabs around his mouth. I was nervous when he led us through similar iffy streets in 2001, when we first met him. Pickpockets often work in teams. What crime did they charge you with? While you grab their holiday happy snaps, a holiday nightmare is unfolding behind you, as their accomplice picks through the bags you left on your towel. You want him focused on anything that isn’t you or what you want to take. Make sure it has a secure strap and be careful not to wear it on the outside of your clothing, where it would be an easy snatch-and-run target. in the language of your destination and be prepared to yell it if you notice a pickpocket at work. Another variation of this scam is that the petition will outright ask you for a … “I told you, the police took €500 and something from me day before yesterday, that I was going to use to pay the rent, but now—”. It is fairly easy to add a secure pocket to a pair of bike shorts or boxer-brief type underthings also. Some contain inner pockets, so even if the bag is slashed, your valuables may be protected. Learning how to pickpocket someone is a valuable skill when escaping your enemy. For the professional there is also a method of Now, after meeting Kharem two or three times almost every summer, I feel comfortable enough to follow him. What were you doing? We walk to Plaça de George Orwell, and Kharem seems pleased to remind us that we took a photo here long ago. A street child flashing something in your face, A beggar comes toward you with one hand beneath a newspaper or magazine, A man "tackles" you, asking if you play football. A skilled pickpocket can hit almost any pocket, but all pickpockets prefer easy targets. Doing something unexpected (jumping, backing up and going the opposite direction or picking up your pace to get away) may be enough to get you away from the pickpocket's reach. Still, we’re missing too much. Learn "Thief!" The Clever Travel Companion sells men's and women's underwear with secret, zipper closed pockets. The back pocket is the easiest to lift from. He holds the postcards close over the item, and when he walks away, the item goes with him under the postcards. These are cheap and are difficult for a thief to get into if the string is drawn tight. Older people are easier marks because they often need help, which allows you to get close. A skilled pickpocket can hit almost any pocket, but all pickpockets prefer easy targets. Survey: Did you file a police report when you were pickpocketed? Again, this is a sensitive area of the body; you will likely notice activity there. Another option is to look for the weight and/or shape of the object. Your email address will not be published. When you are alert to your surroundings, you are more of a risk for thieves and they will choose an easier mark. You’re strolling down the sidewalk on a balmy London evening. Pickpocket teams typically include both genders and both young and older people. Keep your passport and extra money in there. Put larger bills somewhere else. Watch out. If you are sprayed with anything while walking down a street, don't stop; keep right on going and refuse any offers of assistance. Luckily, we’ve got some simple strategies to help foil their plans. In countries with notoriously corrupt police, avoiding confrontation with thieves is strongly advised. SCTI isn’t responsible for, and makes no recommendation about, the content or accuracy of any third party website, or for the suitability or performance of any product or service. There are many ways a tailor can make clothing somewhat pickpocket-resistant. If carrying a bag or purse, keep it closed and hold it close to your body. So he doesn’t like being stolen FROM, but he has no problem stealing from others…. The best type of distraction is one that has a small physical impact with him. The pickpocket’s technique that you just witnessed is called the bottleneck. You both quickly apologise and go on your way. A wallet placed side-on (that is, in a position where the fold of it is not directly up or down). Learning how to pickpocket someone is a valuable skill when escaping your enemy. Fights and arguments are best avoided anywhere. Keep your valuables close and don’t wear lots of expensive and/or sentimental jewellery. Anyone can be a pickpocket, even women, children (even toddlers), elderly people or other tourists. In some cases, it’s an aggressive case of slash, grab and run. Pickpockets are not always subtle. If Bob and I hadn’t already known and recognized this thief, we would never have tagged onto him. Ridiculously easy targets are away from the body where the victim will not feel a thief's touch: Other easy targets are pockets that are easy to get at and out of the victim's field of vision: Do not carry your wallet, phone, or other valuables in any of these places.