A rational take on pickpockets in Paris

This article is not telling the truth. Pickpocketing DOES happen, as my experiment proved. I was curious to see if it was true that pickpockets were on the Paris Metro, so while I was riding on it one day, I zippered and locked all the pockets of my backpack except one which was at the top of the backpack. I just had it zipped closed (not locked) with nothing inside. With the first incident, I didn't feel or hear the pocket being opened, but when I got off the metro I checked and the pocket was wide open. I zipped the pocket back up and got on the metro again. This next time I was standing in front of the door and could see a fellow behind me in the glass. He was a well dressed "businessman." This time I heard the zipper being opened and looked at him in the glass, where our eyes met. I then turned around and stared right in his eyes. He had a blank stare, but quickly left the metro when we stopped. I checked and, as I supposed, the pocket was wide open. I always carry my valuables in my money belt and nothing more than a guidebook, jacket and a bottle of water in my backpack or purse so a thief has nothing to get from me. But pickpockets abound all over Europe so beware and don't have any valuables where they can get them. Don't let this foolish article give you a false sense of security.

Holly, This person is trying to keep people in his apartments. I have no dog in this fight, but here is my personal experience with pickpockets: 1) a man with his hand in my purse as I was boarding the bus many years ago,2) a teen swiping my son's Walkman in the metro near Bastille, but he fought him and got it back, 3) a few years ago personally witnessing a high school student jumped by a gang of others who took his wallet. This was on a Saturday at 4 pm at Concord with streams of people around. I thought it was horseplay, but the young man told me that he carried his real wallet elsewhere and the gang got a decoy with little in it. Why? This wasn't the first time he'd been jumped, more like the third. 4) A friend who had her purse stolen from her shoulder by two guys on a scooter, Italian style (always carry your bag on the inside shoulder away from the street), 5)A couple of years ago two girls behind my husband tried to get his wallet out of his front pocket on the down escalator at the FNAC. The one closest would have handed it to the one in back of her, but my husband wears his pants tight enough that he felt her hand. With my being in France only in the summers, I've managed to have more experience than the writer and his ten employees who claim to have never been a victim or witnessed a crime. He has a business at stake. I have nothing at stake. Do you really believe it's as harmless as he claims. I think there is a big problem right now and the police are having a hard time getting it under control because the gangleaders in Eastern Europe have sent minors, knowing they are harder to lock up and keep locked up, to do their dirty work.

Good for your son, good going in getting his property back! I agree the chances are that being in Paris in the summers, as I've always been, gives you the greatest probability of being a victim.

In fact, in over 10 years of such activity and without resorting to any special pouches or belt-bags, not one of us has been pickpocketed.
I, for one, cannot even remember having witnessed any such trouble, never mind fallen prey (despite living for 10 years at the top of the Champs Elysées!). I've lived in Chicago for over 10 years and have never witnessed or been a victim of a murder. Therefore the high murder rate in the city MUST be over-exagerated... I do agree with one premise of the piece, which is not to blow the issue out of proportion or sucumb to fear. Take prudent steps to be aware of your surroundings, aware of the scam attempts and wear a money-belt of some type. Another thing to remember, the majority of people not wearing any type of money belt do not get robbed. But a significantly higher percentage do, un-necessarily increasing your risk.

This occurred back in 2004, but I still think about it. While I ALWAYS wear a money belt, a nine year old or so attempted to put his hand in my front pocket of my slacks while walking through a turnstile entering a metro in Paris. I grab my pocket and held his hand and prevented him from pulling out as I entered and hollered at him, scaring the both of us. This will sound weird, but I felt honored/thrilled that something like this occurred that didn't have an unhappy ending. We also encountered the scam with the brass ring ( gold) and somewhat of a begging scam in front of Notre Dame. I expected pickpockets in Rome, but evidently we didn't look like easy prey. I probably would feel more intimidated if I had been a solo traveler.

An attempt was made to pickpocket our daughter while we were on the Paris Metro.

My sister had a near-experience while on the Metro. It can happen as you are going through the turnstile. The person in front appears to have a problem. Someone comes up behind you. Person 1 manages to get through then tries to "graciously" help you through the bad turnstile - but alas, you now are having problems. As you get through - person has had their hand in your purse and has your wallet. Fortunately my sister then had a firm grip on their hand between the gate and got her wallet back. This was in the winter time. It happens and will continue to happen - lots of people, lots of tourists, etc. Also, keep walking past the poor woman with 7 children, one in the hospital and her husband died in Bosnia. As you read her card written in "English" amazingly, one of her "children" or sister's is trying to help themselves to something in your purse or bags. Be careful in the parks and open spaces, as much as the subways. Guests in the hotel we have stayed with have had things pickpocketed - thankfully, the hotel knows how to assist them. Just be safe - keep valuables close. No wallets in backpockets and no handbags that cannot be securely closed. Don't be fooled.

When my daughter and I were in line for the Notre Dame tour, some teen "gypsies" walked by with a clipboard asking people in line if they were American. The German man in front of me said, "She is!", pointing at me! I guess he thought it was a great joke. I immediately said, emphatically, "NO!". and the girls walked on. The man's wife said "I wonder what they wanted", and I told her "They want to rip people off.."

The article is underestimating the prevalance of pickpocketing in Paris, but the general advice - including not to get too worked up about it - is sound. Also as Lee points out in his anecdote, a pickpocket can look like anyone. If you want to racially profile anyone who you think is a "gypsy" (considered an offensive term in this day and age, by the way) you open yourself up to being pickpocketed by someone who doesn't fit that stereotype. Racist AND foolish. The point is, practice situtional awareness, always. That is the best thing you can do to reduce your chance of being pickpocketed.

I lived in France all of 2012. I am a 60-ish woman. I traveled by train, metro, and bus in Paris, and other parts of France (mostly by myself) and never encountered a problem with pickpockets. Many, many times I was in very crowded train cars or buses. I was observant, I blended in in my manner and dress, and I looked like I knew where I was going (as I did, most of the time). I used my iphone on the metro and walking around, like everyone else, I have been going to France since 2001 and since the first time I always keep my money and valuables close and protected. I try to keep on top of the latest scams, and I have seen (and ignored) most of them. One time on the metro I was wearing a backpack purse, and I had left the empty top compartment unzipped, and someone pointed it out to me. So my experience has been positive, but I have worked at it. I know people visiting in the height of tourist season, with families, dressed in summer attire -- who are obvious tourists, and not very savvy about their surroundings and various scams are undoubtedly bigger targets and may not be as lucky as I was. Unfortunately, they all do not read Rick's books or visit the Helpline.

They like to attack where a bunch of people funnel into a small space, like at the foot of an escalator. One will get in front of you and fake they're stumbling while the pickpocket gets you from behind. I never carry anything in any pocket, and carry no wallet. My wife walks behind me in such places, and she carries no purse. And I'm a pro-active jerk anytime anyone gets close to me in tight quarters. I am not mannerly, like so many North Americans. Being completely aware of everybody around me is part of being pro-active.
Being 6'4" tall and 235 lbs. doesn't hurt as they don't have a tendency to mess with me.