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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’ve never understood people that carry their passport on them while sightseeing. Do you want to be stuck in a foreign country? Seems like a good way to be stuck in a foreign country. Have been to (taken public transport in) Paris, Rome, Barcelona, London, Cape Town, etc. Never pickpocketed. Never accosted. Don’t look like a mark and you won’t be a mark.[/quote]

It used to be recommended because you’ll need it if stopped by local police.  I was detained once in Uzhbelhodyan (having done nothing) and they demanded our passports — they held us because we did not have the paper visas on us, even though they clearly knew we had them.  But if you’re going to someplace like Italy or France, I don’t think this is necessary.  When I did carry my passport, I had a square passport vinyl holder that looped over a belt and went inside your pants — basically right outside your underwear on the front.  If you are wearing jeans or similar, this is totally the best, as it sits there very snug and is more comfortable than the belt bags and less accessible.  (I once was almost robbed by a gang of Roma children in Russia that lifted my shirt to grab the wait belt bag.  I’m not sure if other countries have those [b]gangs of children[/b] but they are much harder to avoid than a standard pickpocket because they work in a group and [b]take advantage of the fact that you don’t want to punch them or anything like that.[/b]). 
For a standard tourist vacation. I just use a leather cross body purse held in front of me, and general awareness.  But if I think I’m gojng someplace high risk (colosseum might fall into that category), I use the inside the pants square packet for my ID and money.  Like ttbis:
https://www.amazon.com/Lewis-N-Clark-RFID-Blocking-Hidden/dp/B00I5IWC1E/ref=asc_df_B00I5IWC1E?mcid=86cd2b6eee4f33d29739b3574cb50816&hvocijid=18248130904768093528-B00I5IWC1E-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18248130904768093528&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007781&hvtargid=pla-2281435179978&psc=1
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Just out of curiosity, what would happen if you did fight back and punch/kick the kids?   Could you (the foreign tourist) get in trouble?[/quote]

In this scenario, I don't think anything would have happened to me -- its not like those kids would have gone to the cops.  But I was just not going to punch a 7 year old in the face.  Part of their scheme was that the younger kids would actually grab your crotch and breasts, which made me lift my hands to push them away off of me -- once my arms where lifted up, that made it easier for one of them to reach under my shirt and unfasten my belt bad, then an older teen (maybe 14) grabbed it to run with it.  It was really amazing -- the whole thing happened in about 3 seconds.   They had the area really well spotted in that there weren't a lot of people around and I was trapped between a building and a small retaining wall -- the teen jumped over the retaining wall to flee, and I was able to keep my bag because the strap of it trailed behind him -- I grabbed the strap and we had a tug of war as he went over the retaining wall.  Because he was off balance jumping the wall, I was able to get it back.  The younger kids scattered as soon as the teen touched the bag so they were already gone.  
I know someone else where something similar happened, and he did kick the kids right in the chest, he said.  That's not me.  
I don't think this sort of mugging-by-kid happens in Europe.  I think it's a pretty specialized skill set.  It reminded me of Oliver Twist.[/quote]

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