How to Avoid Pickpockets
in [Europe]
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From: Martin on 24 Jul 2010 16:35 On 24/07/10 18:43, Ian F. wrote: > "S Viemeister" <firstname(a)lastname.oc.ku> wrote in message > news:8b0hg9Fjv1U1(a)mid.individual.net... > >> Or you could simply add velcro to the pockets of clothing you already >> own... > > Or they could simply not be so paranoid, thinking someone's about to > pounce on their pathetic few dollars around every corner! If one buys Tilley products one won't have any money left to have stolen.
From: Mike Lane on 24 Jul 2010 17:19 Martin wrote on Jul 24, 2010: > On 24/07/10 18:43, Ian F. wrote: >> "S Viemeister" <firstname(a)lastname.oc.ku> wrote in message >> news:8b0hg9Fjv1U1(a)mid.individual.net... >> >>> Or you could simply add velcro to the pockets of clothing you already >>> own... >> >> Or they could simply not be so paranoid, thinking someone's about to >> pounce on their pathetic few dollars around every corner! > > If one buys Tilley products one won't have any money left to have stolen. I'm not sure about that. I bought a Tilley hat in about 1995 (I think). They're guaranteed for life, so when it wore out after about 10 years I sent it back and they duly sent me another which I'm still using. -- Mike Lane UK North Yorkshire mike_lane at mac dot com
From: James Silverton on 24 Jul 2010 17:24 jfeng(a)my-deja.com wrote on Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:28:44 -0700 (PDT): > On Jul 23, 11:41 pm, billzz <bil...(a)wildblue.net> wrote: >> Wear a Burberry trench coat that has so many pockets that no >> one would have any chance of finding anything. > That may be a little more difficult in the summer. When I > travel during the winter, I wear a ski jacket with a liner; > valuables go into a pocket behind three levels of zippers. My > pants pockets have been fitted with velcro closures. >> The real answer is to keep distance. > That is not always practical. I also carry a "fake" wallet in > the "normal" place, filled with monopoly money and fake credit > cards. It serves, in part, as a reminder to me to secure my > real wallet. It also has a tiny ziplock bag filled with > powdered colchicine (I am hoping the pickpocket with think it > is "good" stuff). > My backpack is lined with metal screen mesh to protect aganst > being cut open with a razor. In addition, the screen is wired > to a high- voltage source (think taser) to give the pickpocket > a pleasant surprise. > My shoulder/beach bag has a foam ball spiked with needles and > razor baldes. An amusing fantasy but why don't you just pack some heat? -- James Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not
From: Jack Campin - bogus address on 24 Jul 2010 17:27 > I'm always amazed at these tales that are told whenever the dreaded > P... word comes up. I've travelled quite a lot in Africa and Europe > during the last 50 years or so, and I can say hand on heart, that > I have never, ever, not even once in all those years had my pocket > picked. I have, once. It was in Edinburgh on Hogmanay, back when the event was a totally uncommercial drunken melee at the Tron. After the bells everybody kisses or shakes hands with everybody else. I kissed one lovely red-headed woman who hoovered me into a passionate snog that lasted a couple of minutes. I later found my coin purse was gone. With only 20p in it, I figured I had good value for money. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- e m a i l : j a c k @ c a m p i n . m e . u k Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland mobile: 07800 739 557 <http://www.campin.me.uk> Twitter: JackCampin
From: bart.c on 24 Jul 2010 17:45
Mike Lane wrote: > jfeng(a)my-deja.com wrote on Jul 24, 2010: > >> On Jul 24, 11:42 am, Hatunen <hatu...(a)cox.net> wrote: >>> I had been stupid enough to betray my wallet's location while on >>> the Metro. Bad move. >> For guys, there are two or three high-probability locations. They >> will try those places first if they see a lump. They may try even if >> there are no obvious bulges. >> >> A couple friends had their bags slashed while they were watching a >> tourist spectacle (a changing of the guard ceremony). They were not >> aware of being victimized until much later. > > I'm always amazed at these tales that are told whenever the dreaded > P... word comes up. I've travelled quite a lot in Africa and Europe > during the last 50 years or so, and I can say hand on heart, that I > have never, ever, not even once in all those years had my pocket > picked. The closest I've come is waking up in a French train to find some guy with his hand in the side pocket of my rucksack, which I was using as a pillow. He calmy zipped it up again, put back the bottle I'd had beside me as it was, and walked out of the compartment. After that I tended to top up the side-pockets of my rucksack with packets of crisps. My valuable stuff is anyway buried deep inside (I usually have trouble accessing it myself without emptying out half my belongings). Anything valuable I have in an actual pocket (which will only be some cash, perhaps a debit card or a ticket, all in a little purse thing), will be protected with a zip or safety pin, against falling out more than being picked. I find con-men more of a problem, always coming up with some story that requires me to lend them some money. -- Bartc |