#Anti pickpocket wallet full

It nearly always involves a group of young girls with clipboards. The following methods are well-known ways that pickpockets and thieves steal from tourists. They want to distract your attention just long enough to take your stuff. Tricks Pickpockets Use to Take Your Stuffĭistraction is the one tactic that all pickpockets use. These are easy places for pickpockets to target tourists who are usually carrying a lot of money. Retail StoresĬlothing and department stores in Europe can get extremely crowded, especially around the holidays. The beaches in Barcelona is especially known for pickpockets. Don’t leave your bag unattended or out of sight because there is a good chance someone might snatch it up. Pay attention to your stuff when you’re at the beach. Many people let their guard down when they’re enjoying a meal or a drink, so it’s easy for a crook to sneakily snatch a purse from the back of a chair or a mobile phone from the top of a table.

#Anti pickpocket wallet full

Trains stations are large, crowded, and full of confused tourists with their hands full of cumbersome luggage - which is exactly the kind of environment pickpockets love. In fact, in 2013, the workers at the Louvre in Paris went on strike because the pickpockets were getting so bad. While the admission price deters most pickpockets, it doesn’t stop all of them from preying on unsuspecting visitors who are simply enjoying the art. Museumsĭuring the summer, Europe’s most popular museums swell to maximum capacity and there are bound to be a few pickpockets among the lot. Pickpockets normally target large metro/subway stations where many transit lines converge because it gives them plenty of places to exit if they’re being chased.

Public transportation is a great place for a pickpocket because it is often very crowded and it is easy for thieves to create confusion. Subways and city buses are prime spots for pickpockets - and after living in Paris, I’ve seen my fair share of pickpockets on the Paris Metro. I have a friend who even had his wallet stolen in a small town in Switzerland. Here is a list of pickpocket hotspots in Europe:īut don’t think that pickpocketing only occurs in big cities. While pickpockets can be found in nearly any city, the biggest concentrations are in cities that attract the most tourists (no surprise there). This guide will explain where pickpockets work, who they target, different methods they use, and ways to protect yourself. Luckily, there are many things you can do to deter yourself from becoming a pickpocketing victim. It is important to be vigilant because thousands of tourists are victims of pickpockets each year - and no one wants to spend their hard-earned vacation trying to cancel their credit cards, replacing their passport, and finding alternative means to access money. If you’re planning a trip to Europe you’ve undoubtedly been warned about the danger of pickpockets.