Pickpockets in Europe

[Anonymous]

I always leave my passport in my hotel room (zippered inside a pocket inside my luggage where someone would have to search for it). I've never had any issues with this but I also stay at reputable hotels. I have a photo of my passport on my phone if needed.

Out in town, I always use a cross body purse, carried in front of me. If I'm somewhere crowded I'll ensure my small wallet is inside the inside purse pocket, zippered, and then also ensure the top of the purse is zippered. I'll also have my hand over my purse if I'm really worried.

Don't talk to random strangers or get caught up in random people asking you questions. After some time you'll develop spidy senses for who seems suspicious and out of place vs. a legitimately lost tourist. But it's safer just to ignore them all.

[Anonymous]

Tips for Paris. Everywhere accepts Apple Pay. Don’t carry any cash whatsoever. I’m walking around Paris now with a light jacket with an internal front pocket where I’m keeping my phone. If I carry any bag, it only has water, umbrella, lipstick, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this such a thing only in Europe? Why do they allow this?

They don’t have big or well equipped police forces, so they focus their attention on public safety and more serious violent crime.

You’d probably be shocked if you regularly read travel groups in FB. It’s shocking how routine crime is.

The local police who are stationed by train stations or the most touristy places know and recognize the pickpockets. Police by buckingham palace literally pointed out the various pickpockets in the area while my friend and I were waiting to see the changing of the guard.

Over 100 million tourists visit France alone each year. Very hard to stop with those numbers.

France is a country, not a city. How many tourists visit the US?

We saw pickpocket gangs in three spots in Paris during the course of one day: by the Eiffel Tower, near the HoHO bus, and right outside the entrance to Galleries Lafayette.

I travel to US cities extensively for work and the only time I’ve seen a pickpocket team was in SF.

Almost all those visitors are to Paris. It's the most visited city in the world. Comparing the tourism load of Paris with the entire US is silly.

FWIW I've traveled extensively and seen a purse snatched right here in DC. You have to watch your stuff on the metro here too.

I will say Paris is the only place I've been where strangers will try to grab your arms (but mostly in the high tourism areas).

The pp said France, not Paris…which is why I countered with the US.

PS - Bangkok was the most visited city in the world last year (30+ million) followed by London and Paris at 19 million. NYC was only 13 million, but when have you heard about gangs of pickpockets targeting tourists?

Quibbling over stats? I’ve seen reports that 37 million visited greater Paris area last year. I think that’s splitting hairs though. So, more pickpockets in Paris, more people with guns in NY?

[Anonymous]

Generally security is pretty nonexistent there even at high end hotels. There was pretty much zero security at the hotel where Kim Kardashian was robbed.

[Anonymous]

It’s the pickpocket kids and teens you have to be careful about. They’re literally always lurking in the shadows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've traveled a bit. The trick is just to not make yourself an easy target. Cross body bags with zip tops, keep stuffed zipped inside inner pockets. Keep bags in front or on the side and in crowded situations rest a hand on the top of your bag as well. Never leave your bag on a chair next to you or changing off the back of a chair.

The reality of pickpockets is they don't generally want to get into a confrontation, so make yourself someone who's not easy to take from without getting noticed. Now someone who's willing to get violent, you may just want to give them money to go away. But that's extremely rare. There's no reason to carry large sums of cash in Europe so don't do that.

Where do you put your bag then? If not on a chair beside you and not over the arm of you chair? If it’s in your lap and it’s a decent size, the napkin won’t go over it and you have to reach around it to eat

My bag is about 9" by 9" by 2" and I just rest it on my lap while eating if I'm somewhere busy that I don't trust. You can easily place a napkin over it without too much fuss. Same way I would sit with it on my lap on a train or bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do pick pockets in Rome target white people mostly? I'm curious if any brown or black person here has been a victim.

I think they will target anyone that looks like a tourist. My tall big white male friend was targeted by several young tweens on public transportation in Rome. His wallet was in his back pants pocket. He started yelling. He managed to keep his wallet.

He told his wife he will not return to Italy.

We had the incorrectly making change money scam done to someone in our party at a Roman ruin admission desk in Vicenza. He caught it and forced the woman to give him the correct bills but he had to get aggressive.

Well, anyone who keeps their wallet in their back pocket on public transportation in a big city is stupid. He can stay out of Italy all he wants, but that won’t fix the problem !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do pick pockets in Rome target white people mostly? I'm curious if any brown or black person here has been a victim.

I think they will target anyone that looks like a tourist. My tall big white male friend was targeted by several young tweens on public transportation in Rome. His wallet was in his back pants pocket. He started yelling. He managed to keep his wallet.

He told his wife he will not return to Italy.

We had the incorrectly making change money scam done to someone in our party at a Roman ruin admission desk in Vicenza. He caught it and forced the woman to give him the correct bills but he had to get aggressive.

Getting aggressive is always the right approach. They need things to go down quietly to evade detection by cops and other potential victims. Americans are very polite and friendly, and people know that we are generally embarrassed to be perceived as rude. This is weaponized by scammers. In Paris and Rome, do not be polite. Make a scene if necessary. When Roma approach you and ask if you'll sign their survey, say no loudly and keep walking. If someone asks you for directions, tell them loudly and rudely to use Google Maps. Be a dick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this such a thing only in Europe? Why do they allow this?

They don’t have big or well equipped police forces, so they focus their attention on public safety and more serious violent crime.

You’d probably be shocked if you regularly read travel groups in FB. It’s shocking how routine crime is.

The local police who are stationed by train stations or the most touristy places know and recognize the pickpockets. Police by buckingham palace literally pointed out the various pickpockets in the area while my friend and I were waiting to see the changing of the guard.

Over 100 million tourists visit France alone each year. Very hard to stop with those numbers.

France is a country, not a city. How many tourists visit the US?

We saw pickpocket gangs in three spots in Paris during the course of one day: by the Eiffel Tower, near the HoHO bus, and right outside the entrance to Galleries Lafayette.

I travel to US cities extensively for work and the only time I’ve seen a pickpocket team was in SF.

I was in DC for the kite festival and a gazillion people there and my bag was half open most of the time while I was taking my camera out and putting it back in and forgetting to close the zipper after taking pics. Everything was in when I got back home. Same in NYC. Visitors to the US don't have to worry about pickpockets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this such a thing only in Europe? Why do they allow this?

They don’t have big or well equipped police forces, so they focus their attention on public safety and more serious violent crime.

You’d probably be shocked if you regularly read travel groups in FB. It’s shocking how routine crime is.

The local police who are stationed by train stations or the most touristy places know and recognize the pickpockets. Police by buckingham palace literally pointed out the various pickpockets in the area while my friend and I were waiting to see the changing of the guard.

Over 100 million tourists visit France alone each year. Very hard to stop with those numbers.

France is a country, not a city. How many tourists visit the US?

We saw pickpocket gangs in three spots in Paris during the course of one day: by the Eiffel Tower, near the HoHO bus, and right outside the entrance to Galleries Lafayette.

I travel to US cities extensively for work and the only time I’ve seen a pickpocket team was in SF.

I was in DC for the kite festival and a gazillion people there and my bag was half open most of the time while I was taking my camera out and putting it back in and forgetting to close the zipper after taking pics. Everything was in when I got back home. Same in NYC. Visitors to the US don't have to worry about pickpockets.

People have had purses picked in Giant in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this such a thing only in Europe? Why do they allow this?

They don’t have big or well equipped police forces, so they focus their attention on public safety and more serious violent crime.

You’d probably be shocked if you regularly read travel groups in FB. It’s shocking how routine crime is.

The local police who are stationed by train stations or the most touristy places know and recognize the pickpockets. Police by buckingham palace literally pointed out the various pickpockets in the area while my friend and I were waiting to see the changing of the guard.

Over 100 million tourists visit France alone each year. Very hard to stop with those numbers.

France is a country, not a city. How many tourists visit the US?

We saw pickpocket gangs in three spots in Paris during the course of one day: by the Eiffel Tower, near the HoHO bus, and right outside the entrance to Galleries Lafayette.

I travel to US cities extensively for work and the only time I’ve seen a pickpocket team was in SF.

I was in DC for the kite festival and a gazillion people there and my bag was half open most of the time while I was taking my camera out and putting it back in and forgetting to close the zipper after taking pics. Everything was in when I got back home. Same in NYC. Visitors to the US don't have to worry about pickpockets.

You keep thinking that way and see what happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this such a thing only in Europe? Why do they allow this?

They don’t have big or well equipped police forces, so they focus their attention on public safety and more serious violent crime.

You’d probably be shocked if you regularly read travel groups in FB. It’s shocking how routine crime is.

The local police who are stationed by train stations or the most touristy places know and recognize the pickpockets. Police by buckingham palace literally pointed out the various pickpockets in the area while my friend and I were waiting to see the changing of the guard.

Over 100 million tourists visit France alone each year. Very hard to stop with those numbers.

France is a country, not a city. How many tourists visit the US?

We saw pickpocket gangs in three spots in Paris during the course of one day: by the Eiffel Tower, near the HoHO bus, and right outside the entrance to Galleries Lafayette.

I travel to US cities extensively for work and the only time I’ve seen a pickpocket team was in SF.

I was in DC for the kite festival and a gazillion people there and my bag was half open most of the time while I was taking my camera out and putting it back in and forgetting to close the zipper after taking pics. Everything was in when I got back home. Same in NYC. Visitors to the US don't have to worry about pickpockets.

I have personally witnessed someone being pickpocketed on the metro (yes, people said something, guy ran as the doors were closing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tips for Paris. Everywhere accepts Apple Pay. Don’t carry any cash whatsoever. I’m walking around Paris now with a light jacket with an internal front pocket where I’m keeping my phone. If I carry any bag, it only has water, umbrella, lipstick, etc.

Can you please post the brand/model of this jacket? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this such a thing only in Europe? Why do they allow this?

They don’t have big or well equipped police forces, so they focus their attention on public safety and more serious violent crime.

You’d probably be shocked if you regularly read travel groups in FB. It’s shocking how routine crime is.

The local police who are stationed by train stations or the most touristy places know and recognize the pickpockets. Police by buckingham palace literally pointed out the various pickpockets in the area while my friend and I were waiting to see the changing of the guard.

Over 100 million tourists visit France alone each year. Very hard to stop with those numbers.

France is a country, not a city. How many tourists visit the US?

We saw pickpocket gangs in three spots in Paris during the course of one day: by the Eiffel Tower, near the HoHO bus, and right outside the entrance to Galleries Lafayette.

I travel to US cities extensively for work and the only time I’ve seen a pickpocket team was in SF.

I was in DC for the kite festival and a gazillion people there and my bag was half open most of the time while I was taking my camera out and putting it back in and forgetting to close the zipper after taking pics. Everything was in when I got back home. Same in NYC. Visitors to the US don't have to worry about pickpockets.

People have had purses picked in Giant in Bethesda.

Yep. It's not just when you are traveling that you need to be alert. I used to work in a grocery store (in California, not this area) and women would just leave their purses in the child seat area and not pay attention/walk several feet away to pick something like produce. Thiefs could easily just walk by and snatch it (and it happened!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cross body basulder bag (they can rip it off your arm). I never carry my passport with me. I never stop to sign a petition, give directions, buy flowers, donate money, ever. Where there is 1 there are really 5-10 (you're just not aware of it). If they try to hand you something, refuse to take it. Make sure your kids understand too, because kids can be dumb, and they rope in the kids and then you have to engage.

Dont use AirPods. Don' use your phone on public transportation, they will grab it and run.

Half of my family lives in Paris. These are the rules we follow. IMO Italy is much, MUCH worse and they're much more aggressive. Be careful of being close to exit doors of metros/buses where they can steal and jump out right before the doors close.

I follow same rules whenever I am in New York as well. Just don't be dumb.

Good advice. What precautions do the males in your family follow, since presumably they aren’t carrying crossbody/any bag but instead have wallet and phone in pant pockets.

Also, anither question more specific to males (or anyone not carrying a purse/bag), do you all recommend having a wallet for id and credit card instead of keeping them the slot on the back of a phone case (in case the phone is stolen).