Protecting cell phone from pickpockets in Paris

My husband is from the era of back when cameras were Kodak instamatic camera size. He pulled out an old small camera bag from that bygone era and put his phone (and wallet) in that, and wore it crossbody in front. (I did have to remind him "in front" a couple of times, not hanging straight down over his shoulder. He was especially happy to have it in the crowded special exhibit at the Musee d'Orsay two years ago. It actually was the perfect size.

Our young adult sons use more modern crossbody/sling bags that go in front across the chest. They are small, so they don't feel like they are carrying a purse or anything. Just google men's crossbody/sling and you'll find a lot of options. One is wearing it in Rome next week, and plans to put a little travel lock on the zipper.

Good friends used an outside ATM in Paris, and someone grabbed their money quickly out of the machine. So if we need an ATM, we go to one inside the bank lobby, and then one of us faces out while one uses the machine.

DH has several collared travel shirts that have zippered pockets on the chest, covered by a flap. Phone goes there. Or in a zippered front pocket of his pants.

Jeans pants front pockets. Cargo pants, zippered front pockets.

You don't need a special contraption or special pants. A front pocket is perfectly fine and make sure when you're in a place surrounded by people you are very vigilant. It's no different than New York or Chicago.

To a skilled pickpocket a front pocket is no challenge; years ago my husband casually put his hand in his pocket and discovered another hand was already there unnoticed till that moment.

To a skilled pickpocket a front pocket is no challenge; years ago my husband casually put his hand in his pocket and discovered another hand was already there unnoticed till that moment.

Too true. DH had the same thing happen on a Paris Metro train.

When smartphones were rare luxuries I suppose they were pickpocket targets. Not so sure they are anymore.

If it's cool weather and you have on a jacket, an inside chest pocket probably would be fine. If it's warm you could try a bag over your shoulder (bandoulière) as many French men do, or a front pocket should do, with your hand in it on top of your phone on those temporary conditions when you're in tight quarters with strangers. I would think it would be somewhat difficult for a pickpocket to slip their hand into your front pocket and extract your phone if your hand already were in the pocket. Or you could carry it in your hand.

I tether my phone to my handbag, but you could also tether to a belt loop or something.
https://niteize.com/hitch-phone-anchor-tether

Front pocket. If I'm in a particularly dicey place in close proximity to ne'er-do-wells, I may keep my hand on top of it.. But the number one security device is situational awareness and that thing between your ears. Walk around with your head in the clouds and you're a likely victim. Walk around in "code yellow" (i.e. relaxed awareness), and you're not likely to end up in "code red."

BTW, number one rule is never leave your phone on the table where you are seated. In the city in which I worked for years, they called that "Apple-picking."

I just keep mine in my front pocket, I make sure the pants I take have deep pockets.

More importantly is adjusting bad habits, setting your phone on the table, holding it out in front of you following a map for example.

Also just being situationally aware while using it, see way too many people walking along in the flow of pedestrian traffic, then take out their phone and stop, either to take a picture, look something up, or check a map. In those cases, you may not lose your phone, but the distraction is a prime opportunity for someone to get your billfold or things in your day bag. If you feel the urge, get off to the side, away from the street, and do your thing there.

I saw an article by Rick recently saying thieves are after cellphones now, not wallets. Not for the phone itself but for the linked accounts. Another option is to keep your phone in a pocket in your underware. Sounds stupid but many brands like Under Armour now have light weight breathable boxer shorts with a built in mesh pocket on your thigh for your phone, mostly for gym use or while running or working out. I may not notice your hand in my front pocket but getting your hand inside my underware might get my attention.

I keep it in my froml pants pocket with my hand grasping it when I am in any area around people. It is a bit annoying but I have gotten used to it. If I am away from people or in an obviously non risky situation, I will remove my hand. Situational awareness is a big part of security.

I often keep my phone in a belt clip which is hidden under my travel vest. If I'm in a "high risk" environment such as on the subway or in large crowds, I move the phone to a buttoned or zippered chest pocket (depending on which shirt I'm wearing), which is also covered by my travel vest.

I don't take a lot of photos with the phone during travels, but prefer to use my dSLR or a P&S camera, which are less tempting to thieves. If I need to use Google Maps or whatever, I try to do the research on directions before going to areas where there are crowds.

In Paris there are days I do not take the phone with me when out and about, prefer leaving it in the hotel room. Sometimes it is in the hotel room because I neglected to take it with me.

Never came close to having the phone picked or anything else for that matter in Paris either. Not concerned about it, not interested in that either. " They" tried twice last trip inside the Metro coach, ....still failed, got nothing, as I had expected.

I use only the hidden pocket and neck pouch as security measures, plus the waist belt worn in front under the pants belt loops.

What Liz said: tether. I have not been the victim of a pickpocket, but a victim of my own self. I lost my phone on a Paris subway. We both adopted a tether, me to my crossbody bag and hubby to his belt loop. Especially in cities and always on travel days when we are juggling luggage.

Inside front trouser zip pocket, don't have it out whilst walking and of course never leave it sat on a table whilst dining.

My husband keeps his in a front shirt pocket under his jacket -- this is medium security but so far so good. On the metro 80% of those around you wlll be on their phones.

I use a lanyard phone case where the phone snaps in; Bandolier. That way it is available to act as a camera easily without worrying about someone taking it.

Phones, credit cards and cash are the 3 main targets of pickpockets and those who are skilled and organized can harvest the data in a thrice. We know someone who had his CC taken at the Orsay and there was. 20K on the card by the time he discovered and reported it. Know someone else who had a card taken in St. Petersburg and the CC had financial instruments worth 30K on the card within two hours.

Both my husband and I use a lanyard, worn cross body. Ours are made of chain, so can't be cut.

It was recommended in London with lots of signage, so we thought, why not?

Since then we love using them when travelling. We do tend to use our phones a lot, navigation, photos, public transport, Apple pay and so on, so they are always out and in our hands. This is much, much safer and even better you can't accidentally leave it on a table, or drop it when taking that amazing shot from the top of a cliff!

Debbie, which lanyard do you use? There are so many out there it’s a bit overwhelming! Thanks!

Having grown up in New York City, I am a big proponent of situational awareness in general. We've all seen demonstrations of how astoundingly good pickpockets can be. I try not to carry my wallet with me in Paris and use an under the clothes moneybelt for carrying essentials. If I have anything of value in my front pocket and my spidey senses are tingling, I do some things to try to make it a little more difficult for a pickpocket. Hands in pockets, thumb in pocket, partially turn in place for no reason, and keep "garbage" on top of the valuable item(s). By garbage, I mean a handkerchief, brochure, meaningless receipts or anything else that might make it a little harder to just dip in and pull out the desired item.
This might amount to no more than me making myself feel good. I'd love to hear a pickpocket's opinion. At the least, it heightens my awareness when I feel vulnerable. So far, so good. I haven't been pickpocketed in about a dozen visits.

It's just fascinating that nobody would most likely buy thief specific pants and bags for a trip in the USA to a large city but in Paris it's no man's land out there. I don't get it. It's a part of big city life - do Parisians every get pick pocketed? Yes. I have a friend who was pick pocketed a few months ago at a lovely restaurant in the Marais. He left his phone in his coat jacket and put it behind his chair. Security cameras showed the woman behind him taking it. I think situational awareness is the best we can do. The fear mongering selling of items is just absurd.

I have a tether around my neck that has an anchor on one end that holds my iphone…..if they grab my phone they get me too. When not using it for taking pictures or directions it is under my sweatshirt, jacket or shirt. Bought the tether for a trip to London last year-all of the iphone thefts in London had me pretty spooked-and never had any threat. I will add that hubby and I try to walk up as many miles daily as we can wherever we are so we never use the tubes or subways.

"Phones, credit cards and cash are the three main targets...." How true.

The phone is not always on me when out and about since I don't depend on it but the other two I need. The credit cards , all 4 of them, and the cash always are. with me. "They" would surely go after those likely targets.

They can try but will "they" be successful. . Getting picked in Paris and losing something as a result is not going to happen.

I just came back from a week in Paris. I didn't feel any more unsafe than in Los Angeles; actually downtown LA is way scarier. I would suggest putting your phone in a zippered inner pocket of a jacket if you feel concerned. Never a back pocket or easily accessible one. Passports and whatnot you could use the Rick Steve's pouch that goes around your belt (cevita hidden pocket). I've literally found that one the most useful. Though I never have had a pickpocket issue in France or elsewhere. I have used thar though in more unfriendly looking places. A lot of it is being situationally aware as some have mentioned and proactive (don't look like a lost person / target). Being more quiet will make people think you are European and not American. Look at your maps away from the public eye. Etc. If smooshed with people on a subway hold your bag in front. Zip tie areas you don't want opened if you don't plan on opening it. I did this to a camera bag that had two entry points. I zip tied the side one.

I use the cross body bag. Mine has little clips to hold the zipper in place. I put it under my arm, not on my back.

Alexander I wear my phone on a lanyard in Chicago too -- it not only prevent theft it prevents dropping it while taking pictures or leaving it somewhere or leaving it on a cafe table to be snatched. America has few pickpockets; this is why Americans are so naive at how good skilled pickpockets are . We have plenty of violent criime: purse snatchings, muggings, even armed robbery, but the skilled pickpocket is not common.

Ruth, this is very similar to my lanyard, although mine cost a quarter of this because I had an old one with a strap and my husband just replaced the strap with a length of silver chain purchased in the hardware shop.

This is sort of what it is like though, without being so fancy.

https://www.amazon.com.au/HOTEMIA-universal-crossbody-adjustable-Adjustable/dp/B0CLB6F8Z7/ref=sr_1_50?crid=VTDUGCJDRWEE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.H7N9SyFZlNpU_K6rhTKmTQ0oF9JxTxyJEmKlCRzXI93ZTI8yQg4RuRPOj7C3Lc_dptSNFLbX-cwXpxMJcnzsPtrTCk8VLIk1HiK_s-HMQ4xcowqLWNgjm6las_5FFTbuFDW4v6ilg4g2dyCmEBWDwFk6kxFJkh8MtPZfHIxh1-_a5Me3C6ZM1gu59FYfYMpfE9AWk3eW1gQ8uYuS9XPLYWWfvWl20Ik3y3yobmxw4acG8-LZqYTiMqltt-NsDwvdHsYJOrzIwqsKNeYgooPveKOP_IxraVgaDuVlq5VoOkA.au7OdAxJhXK_gDcVUN1iU-nGMhAzU41xk30QAZFok3I&dib_tag=se&keywords=phone%2Blanyard%2Bcrossbody&qid=1778577704&sprefix=phone%2Blanyard%2Caps%2C308&sr=8-50&th=1

I use a cheap, 5€ lanyard in Paris, too, so I don’t have to constantly fiddle with my purse for phone maps or photos. I also don’t want to drop it. It travels inside my clothing, not swinging from my neck. My metro tickets are not on my phone but on a Navigo card.

America has few pickpockets; this is why Americans are so naive at how good skilled pickpockets are . We have plenty of violent criime: purse snatchings, muggings, even armed robbery, but the skilled pickpocket is not common

The difference is that public transportation is taken much less in the USA. We're more likely to have our cars broken into and stolen from.

My phone is on the Bandolier lanyard and my Navigo D is inside the small leather envelop purse attached to the lanyard as well and can be read through the leather. I too like a card rather than to put passes on my phone. When I put train tickets on my phone i have had the turnstile reader reach in and try to grab my credit card rather than reading the QR code displayed on my ticket on my phone -- the ND card or NE card is just easier for me.