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I am always really surprised by how many people jump to warn first-time travellers of pickpockets, especially in Europe. Have you ever been a victim of this?
It's never affected me personally. When I started travelling I used to use a money belt all the time, but I've loosened up a lot since realizing it seems to be an issue that is really overhyped for Europe. I'll never usually take credit cards and stuff like that outside with me, but money I have no issue leaving in my pockets. The exception to this would be in Asia or Latin America.
An attempt was made, but I was able to stop the pick-pocketer.
This was in Rome and I remember clearly the hotel staff telling me that being pickpocketed was a common occurrence in the city. I was in the subway getting ready to get off at my stop. Right when I was about the exit the train I felt someone trying to pull out my wallet (from my back-pocket). I placed my hand to stop this from happening while turning slightly and exiting the subway at the same time. I turn around to see that it was a young girl ... maybe 16 years old ...
Never. I grew up in Manhattan (in the "bad old days"), have lived in a country where people here all but claim they pickpocket you at customs and have traveled around the world, much of it alone. Never been pickpocketed.
I once left my purse on the T in Boston and never recovered it, but other than that, no. You've just got to be careful. I'm always warning customers not to leave their purses/jackets with wallets on the back of a chair and then leave the bar/table.
An unsuccessful attempt was made on me when I was traveling in Naples. I was on an extremely crowded bus, where it was literally impossible to move, much less keep a close eye on your stuff. When I got off, I discovered someone had partially unzipped my lightweight backpack. They got nothing, however, as all I had in there was a fleece jacket. I wasn't dumb enough to keep anything valuable in a vulnerable backpack!
Another member of my group lost about 30 Euro right out of his front pants pocket while on a train. And while lounging about at my first hotel in Rome, I heard another tourist complaining to his companions about having his carryon stolen while on a train, and what a hassle it was proving to be to get all his prescription medications replaced (as some of the medications weren't available in Italy, and he had to make arrangements to have them express shipped from the US).
The pickpocket risk in certain parts of Europe is very, very real! It's not a reason not to travel there, though, just a reason to keep your valuables secured.
I was sitting at a table near the open entrance of a restaurant in Penang. I had placed my bag on the side of me closest to the entrance. A moped w/2 guys pulled up, one guy jumped off, grabbed my bag, jumped back on the moped & took off. I started running after them & then my friend jumped in his car & took off to try to catch them. Didn't work. Lost my wallet in that grab. Thankfully I only had a few days left of my vacation so my friend, who I was visiting that lives there, paid for everything the rest of the time. Ever since that happened, I never just put my bag on the ground to my side if I'm sitting outside. I always put it under the table directly in front of me where my feet are or I loop a strap or handle around the leg of a chair, this applies to daily life here in the states too.
I think it was attempted on me just outside the gates of the Prague castle a few years ago, when I was bumped really hard and it was not that crowded, so no reason for him to bump me. I had a tight grip on my crossbody, however, and gave the person who bumped me a really hard jab in the side with my elbow. He quickly stared at me in disbelief, then ran the other way. Working as a therapist in the Texas prison system has its perks....I learned some skills to serve me well elsewhere!
Last edited by RooCeleste; 02-19-2015 at 02:25 PM..
I was the victim of an attempted pickpocket and subsequent assault (I had a large backpack on, though, which absorbed the blows) in Brooklyn by Midwood High School around 2005-2006. This was around the iPod craze and I, foolishly, didn't change the white headphones that identified my object as an iPod. Thankfully, my pocket was so full with keys and other junk that the curlpruts were unable to take the iPod before I realized what was going on and stopped it. Definitely made me more cognizant of my surroundings.
In Ensenada Mexico in 92 or so. I was there to bring a sailboat back from the Newport to Ensenada race. I drove the boat owners car down, he paid me and I was walking down to the harbor, saw a few friends go into a bar and I thought I would go in for a quick drink. My mistake it was crowded in there when I went to take out my wallet it was gone along with about 500$.
We were at the top of the peak in Hong Kong. I had just purchased a couple of prints and stuck my wallet back in my purse. Standing outside the marketplace,visiting with dd and hubby, I felt my purse go light and I knew right away what had happened. I turned to them and said; Holy S### someone just took my wallet. I didn't have my purse zipped all the way I am sure. Anyway,I was right and beside myself. I had about $250 HK plus all my ID, my cc,DL, and pics of my kids and grandkids plus my hotel room key. Luckily the hotel and room number was not on the card. Anyway it was a hassle letting the CC companies know, it made me mad at myself, but I didn't let it spoil my vacation and the positive part: I could keep charging so our cc bill wasn't nearly as high at it would have been. For that hubby was happy.
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We were at the top of the peak in Hong Kong. I had just purchased a couple of prints and stuck my wallet back in my purse. Standing outside the marketplace,visiting with dd and hubby, I felt my purse go light and I knew right away what had happened. I turned to them and said; Holy S### someone just took my wallet. I didn't have my purse zipped all the way I am sure. Anyway,I was right and beside myself. I had about $250 HK plus all my ID, my cc,DL, and pics of my kids and grandkids plus my hotel room key. Luckily the hotel and room number was not on the card. Anyway it was a hassle letting the CC companies know, it made me mad at myself, but I didn't let it spoil my vacation and the positive part: I could keep charging so our cc bill wasn't nearly as high at it would have been. For that hubby was happy. 
