Top 10 Pickpocket Sites

LOL. Thank you for the post Frank II. I plan to got to 4 on the list next year and have already been to Paris, Prague and Amsterdam.

We practice safety with locks on our suitcases, day back packs and slashproof Stash Safe by PacSafe.

When one is using the ATM the other is turned around watching for danger. Then we immediately go into a rest room to stash the cash.

We also used the neck

Thank you Frank II. As always, your posts are very insightful and on target.

money belt. We wear blouses with collars to hide the strap and never get into those in public.

It is important to use a cable lock to attach suitcases to luggage racks on train.

Best rule is to watch each others back and assume there will be someone, somewhere, sometime trying to pick pocket you.

May the others that always feel safe...continue to feel safe until they are relieved of something important or it happens to someone they know first hand.

never had an issue in any city YET...accept Barcelona on las Ramblas...I had my slr out and was walkign taking pictures. Had my camera back pack on and I could tell I was being followed. Alerted my travel partener that this was happening and we walked close together and the guy disapeared cause he knew we were on to him.

On a metro hold yyour bag in from of you the best you can.

I invested in a packsafe strap for my camera bag, I have switched to a messanger style.
I did not like the packsafe strap for the camera as it comes undone easy

I was the victim of a pickpocket in Paris some years back. Since that day I've never carried a wallet, or anything else in my back pocket. I've never been pickpocketed since.

I have been in five of those places/cities. I have had only one attempted pick pocketing ,, in the last almost three decades of adult travel time..

I have seen it attempted in a few other places. I have always been very very careful,, ever since my parents sent me alone(at 12) to spend the summers with relatives in France,, and told me if I lost my passport I wouldn't be able to come home for months.. the scare worked.. I am not careless.. LOL

Hi,

Per my recent post on the graffiti wall (Tourist Scams), a woman attempted to get into my Pacsafe purse (worn across my body and locked) on the stairway out of the Madrid Puerta del Sol metro exit 15 minutes after I arrived by train. She got nothing but I actually saw her try. She took off like a rocket afterwards. My husband had someone attempt to get into his pants pocket in the London tube. Again the thief got nothing because my husband was wearing a money pocket. As my husband likes to take his good camera and an additional lens when we travel, I always make sure I am protecting his back on stairs, escalators, boarding buses, etc. and also keep my back to the ATM when he is withdrawing cash. Those who say they have never been pickpocketed have been lucky so far.

Frank II,

Interesting that eight out of ten of the sites are in Europe. I've noticed the scammers at work in places like Paris and Rome, but thankfully haven't been victimized yet (and hopefully never will be!).

During my travels, I've noticed some North American travellers wearing their Money Belts outside of their clothing in plain view, which is bound to be tempting to pickpockets (especially as these are secured only by a single thin strap). On several occasions, I've been tempted to make a few comments to these people, but figured the advice wouldn't be appreciated or heeded. Those that have worn Belts on the exterior have mostly been in the "20-something" age group.

There's a lot of "nothing is going to happen to me" out there--until it does. People just don't get the idea of what a moneybelt it for.

Anyone ever been to New Orleans for Mardi gras?

Be interesting to know how the info was complied for the article. Over the past 15+ have been in all of the cities, generally more than once, except for Hanoi and Buenos Aires. And have never had a problem. Just this past month was in Amsterdam, Athens, Rome, and Barcelona. Thought that Barcelona felt safer -- not sure why. But the police present was very high. Much higher than I ever remembered it in the past. But we take reasonable precautions and try hard not to look like a tempting target. So far it has worked.

I remember a few years ago when Rick was on our local PBS station during a pledge drive answering viewer questions, somebody asked where the worst pickpocketing in Europe was. Without a second's hesitation, he replied "Barcelona." Then, on a bit more reflection, he added, "Prague is also a problem area."

Travel during the colder months does have the advantage of making pickpocketing a bit harder. Getting under multiple clothing layers undetected is a challenge even for the expert pickpockets of Europe.

Have recently watched 2 documentarys about the gypsy pick pocketers in both Rome and Barcelona. It is truly a massive problem. The parents are forcing their kids to do this as the police cannot really do a lot to the kids. There is usually an adult watching at all times. The ATM machines are a favorite target, as is getting into back-packs and purses.

Watching these films is so sad, these kids have no childhood and no choice. They grow up in this atmosphere and think it is normal. What is more amazing are the towns in Rumania where these people have their "mansions". Unbelievable! Espcially when you see how they are living in Italy and Spain.

Jo, I saw a couple of those documentries. That is why we take so much precaution. Better to be safe than sorry.

I recently had my wallet picked from my front pocket (loose pants) on the metro at Akropoli station in Athens Greece. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but in retrospect there were ~3 20 yr old men who "opened" a place for me on the metro, isolated me from my friends, blocked my way off, and picked me when I was trying to push my way through. I went to the police, who had me fill out a "lost" report.

Frank II,

I followed the link above, and the page has expired at that web sight. So I guess any other readers will be in the dark about which cities are in the top 10. Can anyone list them?

Here you go Dan.

http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/61639/Top-ten-cities-be-pickpocketed-1

Lane,
Thanks! It worked. Dan

Does anyone remember the names of those documentaries mentioned previously in the thread? I'd love to see them. Thanks!

This was shown here in Oz a couple of weeks ago. It is part of a BBC documentary series titled 'This World'. The program was called "Gypsy Child Thieves". It was a real eye opener.

Ok. I got my money belt and a neck belt plus I bought a bag from REI that was recommended. I understand that the neck belt and moneybelt are under the clothes. Stupid questions but how do you get to your money and cards without taking all your clothes off? What about your camera and video camera? This is my first trip to Europe and had no idea about the pickpockets!! Thanks for your guidance!

Lisa, the moneybelt and neck pouch should be considered "deep storage", not to be accessed in public ever. You put a day's cash and maybe a credit card in an accessible place for use during the day. If you need to get into your moneybelt, you should do so in a restroom or somewhere private. The whole point of the moneybelt is that no one should know you have it.

In London, during rush hour in the underground station, I was shuffled with the crowd (I mean its insanely crowded around 5 pm on the Piccadilly line - beware!) and amongst the shuffling I felt my hand bag being yanked down and I pulled it towards myself hard and the wieght lifted. It was 3/4 unzipped and I think someone had gotten their hand into it. I keep my money and cards in my bra anyhow so they didnt get anything!

Also in London there were 2 tube station types of robbery/pickpocket stuff going on. 1, someone runs up to you like they think they know you and steal your wallet when they embrace you like a long lost friend. 2, when you are sitting on the tube train before the doors close, someone may run up to the open door and grab a purse/bag from the person nearest the open door and run off.