Pick pockets Paris

There are hip bags (new term) which are thin and not so bulky. You just have to look at the more high end designers. I have a nice thin leather one from Perlina that doesn’t stick out. I also have a thin crossbody from coach which I convert to a hip bag.
Another thought is a Bandolier brand crossbody phone case/lanyard. They come with credit card slots on the back, attached, and small add on wallets. I asked my girls for one for Christmas as they are a little pricey.

I use the light-weight Scottevest vests, with multiple inside zipper pockets. Many folk here don't like them, but they work for me.
The Scottevest products are getting expensive,so I have been buying " gently used" Scottevest vests and jackets on EBay and been very happy.
I also have my phone in a Bandolier case with neck strap. The Bandolier style I use has a snap pocket which fits my portable phone battery perfectly. I keep one credit card and about 40 euros in the snap pocket.
During my last trip in Italy this May, I found I was using my Apple Wallet and the tap feature 99% of the time. I rarely got my wallet out.
My passport is always under my clothes against my body.
I keep snacks, water, layers, and guidebook in my backpack.
Perhaps these options will work for you.
Safe travels!

https://www.bandolierstyle.com/collections/all/products/hailey-side-slot-leather-crossbody-bandolier-poppy-red-gold

I carry a lightweight shoulder bag to cover my nice purse. So, yes, it's a bag within a bag.
This outside bag is made by MUJI and has a strap that I can attach to a luggage handle.

Pat, and all of you have given me more food for thought. I'm looking at Travelon and Bandolini too. I'm not a fan of purses at all either. Backpacks can be useful too, Just don't want to use one while in Paris; and we'll be there quite some time. Maybe the pick pockets won't be a bother in most areas this time (5th time there). Still we'll probably cruise by some of the usual hot spots.

So Pat, what do people here say about Scott Vests?

I’m a 63-year-old single woman not the least been intimidating I take a small Crossbody purse everything fits in it. It is not a safe It does not have RFID blocking (probably the biggest waste of money ever been invented )

I did not strap my phone to my body. I was in Naples and watched a woman get drug into the street because the guy on a motorcycle grabbed her wallet. Now both the guy on the motorcycle, and the woman whose wallet was being stolen, were locals, not tourist, but it did make a point . “My purse is slash proof and my phone is strapped to by body with an un breakable chain”. That’s great! if somebody drags you into the street so you’re hit by a car, you have your purse. I think I’ll give up mine.

I pay attention to my surroundings so far I’ve come home with everything. However, if I get pickpocketed they get one credit card and €20 there’s another credit card at the hotel in the safe. there’s a debit card at the hotel in the safe and there’s an Apple Store and everything on my phone is backed up and my phone has the ability to be bricked by my company from wherever I am. so I go to Apple buy a new phone and I get on with my life.

Sue, some women think the Scottevest isn't attractive, and some feel it's too hot for the summer, but I wore mine in Germany in August a few years ago, and I wasn't too hot. It's important to get the Featherlite series, or whatever their current term is. I agree that the vests from the zip-off sleeve jackets are too heavy for warm weather. in my experience, all their products run somewhat small, so I size up one size.
I also like the Scottevest Chloe Glow jacket for spring and fall. I have quite the collection.
Safe travels.

I have a Scottevest.com trench coat that has been my go to travel coat for fall/winter/spring for the last 15 years or so. Love it.
There are lighter weight jackets. IN summer I have at least one 'travel shirt' - the kind you get at hiking stores with roll sleeves and hidden zip pocket behind the chest pocket --

Moneybelts are not purses; they are body safes and properly worn are not detectable. Obviously that is tricky in summer but in the other season, a lightweight overshirt or jacket hides any possible bulge. (I always wear mine below the belt and in back covered by my jeans and only in transit. During the day around town, I carry as little as possible and use inner pockets and my tiny cross body bag attached to my phone in. a Bandolier phone carrier.

Cargo pants are absolutely not safe -- they are easily picked -- I know people who have lost wallets that way.

Take a look at the Bandolier phone carrier with an attached small pouch purse. I can carry passports, keys, a lipstick, credit card, and money in the purse and the phone is attached and so not easily grabbed or left on a table where it can be left or snatched. I have tissues in pants pockets, emergency meds in the watch pocket, and the minimum essentials in my bandolier. (this brand is expensive but high quality -- there are many cheaper brands of wearable cross body phone case/puse combos). If we do a day trip we carry a lightweight backpack for water bottles, sweater, snacks, umbrella and take turns carrying it)

Thanks everyone. I'll look at a bandolier again and what vests I have. Since we will be there starting in a month or so, I'll look at the longer scott vest. Cost isn't the issue. It's the practicality of carrying stuff. Outside of the metro, I'm not as concerned. Outside of Paris my concerns are minimal.

I continue to be amazed that anyone actually carries a wallet around in Europe. I barely use anything like a wallet at home. When I'm traveling I have so few cards that I don't need anything more than a moneybelt for them and I definitely do not want to have all my important stuff in one place like a wallet or purse.

Years ago, I stopped using a typical annoying moneybelt in favor of one like this StashBandz. You step into it and pull it up. And you obviously wear it under your clothes, not over them like the picture. When I started wearing this kind of moneybelt, I had to get an X-Large. Now I wear a Medium. It was/is virtually invisible.

Like others have mentioned, it's for deep storage, not for anything that requires quick access. My quick access items are only one credit card and some cash. I wear pants that have zippers like these or these. They are tight fitting but very flexible and comfortable. The zipper pockets are hard to open and obviously designed for something flat, not bulky. I always wear a tee or shirt or both over them.

I wear a small cross-body purse with almost nothing in it. My new favorite is this UNIQLO one which I've used everyday since I got it. I have older versions of this Baggallini quilted one in both black and red, bought at TJ Maxx, of course. Mine do not have RFID anything. I think RFID is a solution looking for a problem.

For shopping, I prefer a long handled net shopping bag like these or something similar that reveals the contents. My husband wondered about that and I pointed out that any potential thief could easily see my baguettes, cheese, Evian, fruit or whatever was in there and decide whether it was really worth taking. I had a bag similar to these when I lived in Germany and absolutely loved it.

I'm not a fan of vests of any kind, but years ago I tried a SCOTTeVEST and hated it. My husband also hated the one I got for him. The newer designs might be a bit better.

Just don't want to use one while in Paris; and we'll be there quite some time. Maybe the pick pockets won't be a bother in most areas this time (5th time there).

I would never assume that the pickpockets will be resting in Paris.

Lo, does the Stashbanz have one or two zipper pockets? I bought something like it on Amazon, but there was only one zipper pocket, and I prefer to keep my passport in a different zipper pocket from my wallet.
I bought one of those scarfs with the hidden zipper, but when I made a purchase, I couldn't find the zipper. I'm sure I looked like an awkward senior citizen.
Lo, maybe you'll sell your Scottevest items on EBay and I'll find them!😉
Safe travels to all!

Those vests are long gone to family members. Sorry.

There are 4 StashBandz pockets. They are all 8" wide and 6" deep, including the one with the zipper. All have snug flaps over the top. The link I provided has an x-ray style view with things in them. It's the 3rd picture down in blue.

I put my extra credit card and cash in the zipper pocket. My passport goes in one of the other pockets inside a ziploc freezer baggie with the zip part cut off and the rest folded over. I found that it was less likely to take on moisture that way than with the ziploc zipper closed. Definitely counterintuitive.

Other things I might put in the pockets include emergency contact and medical info, where I'm staying, travel insurance card, my lodging key(s) -- all flat kinds of things, except maybe the key(s).

I also put copies of the emergency contact and medical info, where I'm staying, travel insurance card, etc. in my purse and in my phone cover. Redundancy is a good thing at my age. The plan is that if something happens to me and I can't speak, anyone who helps me would have access to 2 - 3 different locations for that info (the most secure one being my moneybelt) in case the other 2 disappear.

I just returned from a Christmas market trip and used a Stashbandz per a recommendation by Lo and someone I follow on YouTube. It worked out well. I used the zippered pocket for extra cash and cards. My passport fit securely in another pocket. There’s a flap over the pockets so there’s no way it would fall out. My other two pockets were empty and I had the empty pockets in the front.

I have travelled globally since the 1960s. It was not until I started to think that I needed to do any of these anti-pickpocketing things until I started to follow this forum. I have travelled with others who lost things. I have seen the "pros" working the train station in Naples, the trams in Rome, the subways in Paris, the train stations in China. I have never (knock on wood) had a problem. I pay very close attention to my surroundings, I do not flash my wallet, passport, phone etc. around. I keep all of my important possessions where I can have a hand on them. I have sharp elbows and I use them. I make eye contact with the obvious pros and by doing that make myself less of a target. These pros are looking for easy marks. The more you fiddle, fuss and squirm to hide the goods, the more you help them to plan how to take them from you.
As a rule, I never carry more than a small amount of cash, my phone and one credit card. All of my account numbers, card and banking details, ticket, passport information is stored in an accessible remote app that I can access if I ever need it. Always keep a copy of your passport and visas somewhere. I carry a hard copy and also have it on an HD card.

Many people don’t worry about pickpockets, until it happens to them. Lesson learned. Even situational awareness can’t help when you are in the wrong place at the wrong time and these people are very good at what they do.

Two weeks in Paris this last fall and I only saw one instance of the scams-not pickpocketing though. I was vigilant on the trains,metro, etc (we rode them a lot) and never saw any unusual behavior. I did watch for the two older women with two younger girls as we were told a number of times that was the most likely situation on transport, although I realize it isn’t going to be the sole instance.

I do carry a very small purse-this time it was a Sherpani. The back pocket of the zipped portion, closest to my body had my phone on a tether-a first for that with mixed results for me, and yes! my passport. In the small inner zip pocket of that back pocket I had one cc and my medical info. Otherwise the front pocket was misc., unimportant bits. There is an outside zip on the front side-tissues, mirror, pen. I carry it to the front of me and definitely cradle it to the front on transport. This just in case you decide a small purse might be okay.

The other incident- a young girl, clipboard in hand, soliciting donations at the Eiffel Tower. Interestingly enough, I gave her the skeptical, evil eye look. She immediately scampered off! Surprised me, but I’m pleased it stopped the transaction.

Situational awareness should keep you from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are places where you should not be. There are ways to behave if you are. Nothing will prevent you from becoming a mark, but if you are, you should not be an easy one.
It has been my experience that many of the people I travel with are totally out of touch with their surroundings. The worst places to be are generally places where there are scads of tourists. As a tourist, that tends to happen. As long as you take that into account, you should be able to avoid getting taken.

I'm with Mack. Situational awareness is the most important deterrent. No offense meant to those who have been robbed, but I think most people who are pick-pocketed think they are much more aware than they really are. One should always go through life in "Code Yellow" (relaxed alertness).

janettravels44,

Can you please let us know where we can get the travel shirts with the zipper pockets behind the chest pocket flap? Travel Smith used to have them, but apparently dropped them after the merger with Magellans.

Situational awareness is important, but sometimes there is no way to avoid being on a crowded train, say on the way to the airport and you can’t keep waiting for a less crowded train because you have a flight to catch. I’m just saying that pickpockets are successful because you don’t see them coming. You can’t say you never saw any pickpockets. How would you know? They don’t wear identifying jackets proclaiming their profession. They are not as easy to identify as the petition or bracelet people.

@Andrea,
I’m not saying I didn’t see any pickpockets, just saying I didn’t see it happen. Of course they’re sneaky and fairly undetectable otherwise they wouldn’t be successful!
My goodness-just relating what I did and didn’t see.

Here's a funny tale, which I have told before, but this time relates to "seeing" the pickpocket.

My parents and I were on the Line 1 on the Paris meteo, notorious for being rife with pickpockets.

I had come a little further into the car when we boarded, so there was a little distance between my mom and me.

At a certain moment, I glanced over to check on her, and saw a pickpocket with his hands ON HER PURSE trying to get into it. I gave him a glare, and he ostentatiously took his hands away.

The guy was probably in his 40s, clean-cut, WEARING A SUIT. I never in a million years would have guessed he was a would-be thief. They come in all shapes, sizes, dress codes, and colors.

(And yes only later did I realize I should have yelled "pickpocket" or something to get everyone's attention around us. It didn't occur to me in the moment, unfortunately.

Kim, thank you for making my point. And the object of pickpockets is to not be detected.

Ditto thanks to Kim for relating her story! I'm with Andrea on situational awareness can only take you so far with the professionals.

I did get picked a few years ago, I assume on the Paris Metro. They only got my pouch of OTC meds, hand cream, etc. I try to be quite situationally aware as I am an older woman traveling alone. I do not have a lot of big city smarts as I've always lived in smaller towns or rural areas so I try to make up for that by really watching out.

In my instance, I paid for a purchase. Put my small money/CC wallet backin my purse and headed toward the Odeon Metro stop. The streets were not crowded nor was the Metro stop nor was the train. I felt no one touch me, or indeed even get near me. By the time I was at my platform at Motte-Picquet Grenelle I noticed my purse zipper undone. I looked quickly then decided I would not check until I got to my hotel. Yep, small wallet still in the zippered inside pocket. Bigger pouch gone....had to buy new hand lotion and nail clippers.

The only thing I felt I did wrong was that I'd installed some carabiners on my purse and had not secured the exterior zipper with that.

In Nov of 2019 I was coming out of the metro in Paris up a flight of stairs and normally my phone is in my pocket of my coat with my hand on it or in my purse zipped and closed in front of me. But it was in my pocket and I took my hand out to touch the handrail and looking down at the stairs I can see a hand reaching into my pocket. This is on my right side up against the wall! A very handsome tall well dressed young (late 20s) man was very close behind me trying to lift it out. I was so startled, I immediately yelled very loudly something not at all polite. He and a ‘friend’ just glided around me and slightly increased speed and proceeded up the stairs as if nothing unusual happened.

It was almost funny because I couldn’t believe I had automatically used foul language in public at volume and the nerve of trying to lift anything out of my coat pocket that was close in to my body and next to the wall. But it was the last time I ever had my phone not in my hand or zipped away as securely as possible. And pickpockets can be very very non suspicious in appearance.

Thanks to all that have offered solutions and experiences. I don't trust anyone on the metro in Paris. Situational awareness is important and these thieves no about distractions and are pretty sneaky about it. Here's something that I just ordered, https://www.baggallini.com/search?q=Crossbody+Phone+Case&search-button=&lang=en_US I will be carrying little cash and maybe 2 credit cards. I think it's a good idea to have your emergency contact with you and where you are staying. We'll be in Paris for almost 2 months in AirBnBs. Carrying our info on travel insurance would be a good thing too. Don't plan on carrying a passport. Will likely carry driver's license (and much easier to replace). I'll consider some of the options too.

Mack, All of my account numbers, card and banking details, ticket, passport information is stored in an accessible remote app that I can access if I ever need it. I carry a hard copy and also have it on an HD card.

What is the remote app that you can access for your account numbers, etc. What is a HD card?

How easy it really is to be distracted. Don’t think for a second that you can be situationally aware at all times. It is impossible. Just keep your valuables in deep storage and keep your crossbody bag in front and your hand over the opening. My cell is tethered to my purse and body by a crossbody neck tether and the phone slips into an area of my purse that is next to my body. I position my purse so my hand is over the zipper holder. My purse has no openings that faces out to the public. Hubby uses a leg wallet and a hidden pocket.
I was a victim back in the 80s and know that distractions are everywhere. My fingers are crossed that my precautions work.

I was pickpocketed TWICE this year!! Both times in Italy and both times were textbook. My phone was stolen in Milan. I was buying a train ticket at the kiosk and some people offered to help me at the same time someone was trying to sell me a ticket directly.( I'm pretty sure they were working together...) Eight months later, I was boarding a train in Rome, with my suitcase, and a pickpocket got my travel wallet with my passport, credit cards and driver's license. I think I'm careful. I had a zippered crossbody bag inside my open coat. I think the person who got it was well-dressed in business attire. He was right next to me as we were boarding and all of a sudden, he was holding the door open and fighting to get off. He appeared to be someone who just realized he was on the wrong train. Getting a new passport was difficult because you have to pay for it and my cards were taken ( to say nothing of a visit to the police department and the missed flight. (You can't fly with a picture of your passport, it has to be an actual document.) Everyone I had to deal with was kind, but it was an awful experience. Someone at the embassy told me she ALWAYS keeps her hand on her purse. I wish I had done that!!

I follow Rick's advice. Passport, most credit cards etc... in a moneybelt. Pickpockets aren't going to strip search you :)

jody, I’m so sorry to hear about your experiences. It must have been a real challenge to deal with.

On the 24th I was on the metro with my partner, one of us carrying flowers and the other carrying wine and a cake as we were about to attend a friend's Christmas party. Shortly after making our connection we noticed 3 young people get on and surround us rather strategically. I said to everyone on board "attention, il y a des pickpockets " . You could see them annoyed that they were caught, one made a very grotesque remark to us, and they got off at the next station.

Use your gut. If someone of something feels weird, pay attention.