I was victim to pickpaketing at the Interlochen Ost train station while trying to board a Lucerne bound train. It was the expected jost;ong with many ofther tourists with luggage. Even with a crossbod zippered bag - my wallet was pickpocketed. Luckily they didn't get y passport just a little cash, a credit card and my US driver's license - all of which was easily fixable. Anybody else experience this? But most of all, I wanted to alert fellow Swiss travelers to the very real danger.
Posted by
91 posts
Oh dang! Sorry that happened to you and glad it wasn't worse. If I made a list of the top ten countries in Europe where I would expect problems with pickpockets, Switzerland would not even be on the list! We're headed there next year, so thanks for the reminder that it can happen anywhere (even at home).
Posted by
Utah via SF Bay Area
542 posts
Total bummer! Thx for the reminder that pickpockets operate anywhere and could by anybody. We were even warned by our tour guide in the Uffizi that keep our belongings secure-- he stated that pickpockets buy admission into museums just to pickpocket unassuming visitors.
Knock on wood, we haven't been pickpocketed. But on that same tour to Italy, an older gentleman and another guy (6'5") were walking behind the group in a parking garage on the way to our bus. Out of nowhere, these two got surrounded by a pack of people who just happened to be pickpockets. Our tour guide realized what was going on and screamed at the pickpockets and they scurried away. It happens really fast. Noone realized except our tour guide.
After reading your post and many others on other DB's pickpocketing is something to be aware of and vigilant about. Some will poo poo it and call it pearl clutching. I call it being aware and pragmatic. We use ScotteVests and I carry a PacSafe bag as a result of reading about unfortunate experiences like yours.
Posted by
Philadelphia
218 posts
Hi, Jamcnabb, did they actually get the zipper open on the crossbody bag?
Posted by
San Diego, California
7158 posts
MoR, we also use the Scottevests, and rely on all those inside zipper pockets. However, my Passport is always against my body in a silk neck wallet.
Safe travels to all!
Posted by
Utah via SF Bay Area
542 posts
Hey Pat, I haven’t tried a silk wallet. I just figured someone would have to be highly inappropriate to try to access my inner pockets!
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1910 posts
Sorry to hear that you were pickpocketed. I was robbed and sexually harassed in Zurich, near the Marriott Hotel. At another point, my serviced apartment was broken into. Low crime ain't no crime.
Zurich was not like this when I was younger. Lots of people didn't have to lock their front doors. Now, things have changed, unfortunately.