Are you planning a vacation? Visiting relatives? No matter where you go, pickpocketing is a potential risk. However, there are many ways you can avoid being pickpocketed.
Who Do Pickpocketers Target?
Pickpocketers tend to look for distracted or unaware travelers. These thieves are looking for expensive valuables that are visible to them like cameras, designer bags, phones, expensive jewelry or an abundance of shopping bags. They are usually keeping a watchful eye on people’s pockets and bags and lingering behind someone as they walk.
Travel experts, such as Pasquale, recommend tourists to not bring too many valuables on vacation to prevent theft. They think it is safer to just not bring and show off expensive items in the first place. Money belts and belt bags should be worn under loose clothing and jackets. Cameras and phones should have straps to wear around your neck, to prevent them from getting stolen.
“That’s not to say that anyone can be prey, but if you’re engrossed in your phone — you’re less attentive to what’s going on around you. I always carry my bag crossbody, never leave it sitting on or hanging off a chair out of my line of sight, and I am just that little more observant if I’m in a crowded area.”, said Maria Pasquale, travel journalist and author from Rome. She studies and knows a lot about pickpocketing and its risks. She stresses that it is important for travelers to always be alert.
What Tactics Do Pickpocketers Use?
Some pickpockets use jackets draped over their arms to mask their hand movements. They often get really close to the tourist’s pockets or bags to take their valuables.
Lazza Ramo, a 36-year-old pickpocket watcher in Milan, said that tourists who store their luggage in overhead bins on trains or other public transportation are often targeted: “Once they reach their destination they find themselves without luggage, wallets, mobile phones.”
Some pickpockets will just take bags or other belongings sitting on the ground or hanging from chairs while their target is distracted. Some work in teams, with one person distracting the target while the other robs them.
Gillian Longworth McGuire, a Venice-based travel writer, says “Look for a [pickpocketer] big hat or an open flowy shirt. They usually work in pairs or groups of three to four,” She warns travelers to pay attention to anyone who looks suspicious or out of place as well as for groups that look suspicious.
Pickpockets will often purposefully bump into people, drop items in front of you or spill food or water in an attempt to create chaos and distraction. These situations offer an opportunity to make the tourist distracted and so they can rob them. If they are working in a team, another team member can steal from the tourist while they distract them. Tourists should try to maintain distance from other people and watch out for their personal items while crossing streets, walking up stairways or standing in lines.
Source:
This article was based on ‘Attenzione, pickpocket!’ Crime-stopping tips from TikTok’s favorite watchdogs.
Who Do Pickpocketers Target?
Pickpocketers tend to look for distracted or unaware travelers. These thieves are looking for expensive valuables that are visible to them like cameras, designer bags, phones, expensive jewelry or an abundance of shopping bags. They are usually keeping a watchful eye on people’s pockets and bags and lingering behind someone as they walk.
Travel experts, such as Pasquale, recommend tourists to not bring too many valuables on vacation to prevent theft. They think it is safer to just not bring and show off expensive items in the first place. Money belts and belt bags should be worn under loose clothing and jackets. Cameras and phones should have straps to wear around your neck, to prevent them from getting stolen.
“That’s not to say that anyone can be prey, but if you’re engrossed in your phone — you’re less attentive to what’s going on around you. I always carry my bag crossbody, never leave it sitting on or hanging off a chair out of my line of sight, and I am just that little more observant if I’m in a crowded area.”, said Maria Pasquale, travel journalist and author from Rome. She studies and knows a lot about pickpocketing and its risks. She stresses that it is important for travelers to always be alert.
What Tactics Do Pickpocketers Use?
Some pickpockets use jackets draped over their arms to mask their hand movements. They often get really close to the tourist’s pockets or bags to take their valuables.
Lazza Ramo, a 36-year-old pickpocket watcher in Milan, said that tourists who store their luggage in overhead bins on trains or other public transportation are often targeted: “Once they reach their destination they find themselves without luggage, wallets, mobile phones.”
Some pickpockets will just take bags or other belongings sitting on the ground or hanging from chairs while their target is distracted. Some work in teams, with one person distracting the target while the other robs them.
Gillian Longworth McGuire, a Venice-based travel writer, says “Look for a [pickpocketer] big hat or an open flowy shirt. They usually work in pairs or groups of three to four,” She warns travelers to pay attention to anyone who looks suspicious or out of place as well as for groups that look suspicious.
Pickpockets will often purposefully bump into people, drop items in front of you or spill food or water in an attempt to create chaos and distraction. These situations offer an opportunity to make the tourist distracted and so they can rob them. If they are working in a team, another team member can steal from the tourist while they distract them. Tourists should try to maintain distance from other people and watch out for their personal items while crossing streets, walking up stairways or standing in lines.
Source:
This article was based on ‘Attenzione, pickpocket!’ Crime-stopping tips from TikTok’s favorite watchdogs.
