How To Avoid Pickpockets, Theft And Being Targeted By Thieves When Traveling

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Editor

When I first went to New York City, a local friend gave me a big piece of advice to avoid being targeted by thieves: don’t look up at the tall buildings. Keep your eyes at ground level, he advised.

I did that and in fact found it more interesting than gawking at skyscrapers. I lived in Los Angeles at the time and wasn’t exactly a stranger to tall buildings there and elsewhere so that did not really intrigue me anyway. The people at ground did, tho; they moved at a fast New York pace and looked straight ahead as if on a mission when walking and crossing the street. You had better keep moving, too, or you will get trampled I quickly learned.

Still, my friend’s advice was good because it made me aware that it’s easy to be a target for thieves even if you are not aware of it. And so, here’s some key tips I have developed through the years on how to avoid pickpockets, theft and being targeted by thieves when traveling.

1.) Be Aware Of Your Surroundings At All Times

This is the most important anti-theft tip. Be alert to anyone trying coming too close to you, to what is happening around you and others around you.  Always tap your pockets to be sure your wallet and cell phone are still in your pockets and women, make sure your purse is still on your shoulder.

If you are unsure or uncomfortable about a place or situation, step away until you have a chance to survey the scene.

2.) Be On High Alert In Subways, Public Transit Centers And Popular Tourist Attractions

A friend had his bag stolen in the Paris Metro. He said someone came along banging on a wall or something really loud and my friend turned around to see the commotion. That provided the thief’s accomplice the opportunity he needed to swipe my friend’s bag. (While it’s a bummer my friend lost his bag, the only thing the crooks got was dirty shirts and underwear, which serves them right.)

Since hearing that story, I am always on high alert and pay attention to any type of noise or commotion that could be used as to creat a distraction. If I am standing or sitting in a busy place with a bag or backpack, I either wrap a strap around a leg or put my foot on it. Thieves are looking for victims that they can hit fast and then run. If you have anything visible that shows you can delay them – in other words, if they have to tug hard to steal a bag – they are likely moving onto another, easier potential victim.

3.) How To Protect Your Belongings

I put my wallet in my front pocket rather than the back pocket. Most men keep thier wallets in a back pocket and that is naturally the first place thieves target. By keeping it in my front pockets, I give myself a bit more protection from thieves. It’s easier to watch people in front of you than behind you and it’s not as easy to reach into a front pocket as it is a back pocket and front pockets are also usually tighter so it’s more difficult to steal something. Although this is not foolproof as the story in the next tip shows.

For female travelers, I recommend keeping a tight grip on your purse and wrapping the strap through your arms. PubClubette Ashley, for instance, keeps her phone/wallet combination on a chain. She can feel if someone jerks on it. Plus, it can be used to fight off a potential thief.

4.) Listen To Advice From Locals Or Other Travelers

When I was in Prague, I visited with a former co-worker who married a Czechoslovakian girl and had moved there. He told me that Prague is one of the top places in the world for pickpockets. They are especially prevalent along the main four-lane boulevard at Wenceslas Square he said, and sure enough, that night as my friend and I rounded a corner to go to our hotel there, two good-looking ladies walked up beside us and grabbed us by the crotch. Nice diversion! Based on what my friend had told me, I immediately put my hand on my back pocket and to no surprise, found the girl’s hand there. I pried it loose, told my friend to do the same, and we sent them on their way.

Later, we saw a guy with precise slices in the front pockets of his cargo pants. Apparently, a gypsy kid had gone up to him, cut through the pockets with a razor blade and left with the guy’s wallet. “I didn’t feel anything,” he said with an astonished look on his face. “I didn’t even know I was robbed until I feet a breeze from where the pockets had been cut.”

Had it not been for my friend warning me about pickpockets, I could well have been a victim myself.

5.) Be Alert For Scams

I mentioned the one above in Prague and the one time I fell victim to having my wallet stolen was a similar situation in New Orleans. It was during Jazz Fest and I was on Bourbon Street and admittedly not completely in charge of all my senses. Hey, it was New Orleans! I stumbled into a bar, reached for my wallet (at that time, I kept it in my back pocket) and it was not there. A moment earlier, just outside of the bar, a girl had bumped into me and in a split second managed to take my wallet.

Fortunately, I did not have much cash in it and tho it took a while on the phone with credit card companies, I managed to be able to continue to have fun on my trip. And, much to my astonishment, a few days later my wallet arrived in my mailbox!

The cash and credit cards were gone but my driver’s license was there – whew!, saving me a trip to the DMV – because apparently a good samaritan had found it in the trash can in the women’s restroom and dropped it in a mailbox.

The lesson I learned was don’t get tooo drunk in places like New Orleans (certainly not for big events when Bourbon Street is crowded), don’t keep the wallet in the back pocket and be aware of scams such as girls bumping into you.

Conclusion

I hope these tips help you avoid getting your purse, wallet, cellphone or belongings stolen when traveling so you can have a safe and enjoyable trip.

This story was written by a human with several years of travel experience. It is based on personal experiences and interviews. No AI or ChatGTP was used to create this post.