Flying Lawyer

Guys, I am living in Europe for close to 50 years. I have been all over the place. I looked "poor" and "rich", like a tourist or not. Never made any experience with pick-pockets. Most of it is just common sense. There are some rules to be observed which are different from the US:

• Leave your passport at home in EU countries, different in Russia or other strange places.
  
• Go out with a credit card, cash in your pocket and a driving license in the evening. In 99.9% percent of the cases this is sufficient for everything.
  
• Don't let people approaching you, that look different from the general public (sorry, this was too politically correct: Reports say that quite of the few of pick pockets in Europe come from a certain minority in certain South-Eastern European countries and in most of the cases you can identifiy these people. Might be more difficult for you as a stranger and it is difficult to explain without geeting racist. However, unusal clothes (different from the general public in MUC, AMS or whereever and NOT American should warn you)

stut

I've got to agree, just use your common sense. Most crime of this nature is opportunist, and the way to avoid it is to not present opportunity. Don't stash anything important where it is accessible without your knowledge (wallet in the back pocket, etc), make sure you know where things are when it's crowded, and don't be unduly distracted. To be honest, I don't give it a second thought, and the closest I've been to being robbed (touch wood) was a rather inept mugger (weaponless and a lot smaller than me) about a mile from home when I lived in London.

stut

Flying Lawyer, I don't think it's racist to point out that a couple of cities (Paris in particular) had problems with some Romany gangs - what would be racist would be to suggest that all Romany are thieves (the last racial prejudice that the press can seemingly get away with, in this country at least).

It's a while since I've seen such groups operating - maybe they have moved on - but I wouldn't say you're any more at risk from being robbed by them than any other particular group.

EndlosLuft

I live in Barcelona and have lived in a few other places in the world and I've never seen nor known so many people get pick-pocketed or had things stolen as in Barcelona. (Visitors and Locals)

Go to any consulate in Barcelona and very likely you will find people who had their money and id/passport stolen.

I'm happy though that you had an uneventful trip but crime is a 365 day a year occurrence -- no winter breaks.

EndlosLuft

ESpen36

I agree with all of the previous comments. When traveling in most cities abroad, I am just as careful as I am in any major U.S. city.

I leave my passport at home and carry photocopies, except if I'm in a country where tourists are required by law to carry their original documents (like Russia), or in places where it's virtually impossible to do any kind of transaction without them (like Argentina). Even in the case of the latter, sometimes I can get away with my driver's license and a photocopy of the passport/tourist card.

I keep my hands in my pockets, touching my wallet, etc., when I'm on a crowded subway or bus. I avoid large crowds if at all possible. I always walk with a sense of purpose, and I duck into a store if I have to check a map.

I keep a cell phone with me at all times, but not visible. I never wear an iPod or anything else that could impair my ability to detect what is going on around me. I wear a hat when appropriate so that my red hair doesn't stand out too much (and trust me, in Mexico, it really does--people stare like crazy)! I also wear sunglasses during all daylight hours outside.

Knock on wood, I've been very fortunate thus far.

sdsearch

I wouldn't expect crime in general to take a winter break, but if the weather makes people cover everything with multiple layers outdoors, I wouldn't be surprised to see pickpocketers, specifically, move to indoor places where people might remove those outer clothes and provide easier access to the pickpocketable stuff. Or to move to locations where people are more likely to be carrying bags, etc, that can be picked in any season.

Thus if Reindeerflame was hunting for pickpockets based on where they've been reported (in a tour book) to be in the summer, but he was there at the opposite time of year, the pickpockets may have indeed moved elsewhere for the winter.

Princess1

Wandered GB for 6 weeks with 3 teenagers, not only did we not get picked, but when one of the kids dropped or left something (including a backpack and a purse), someone either caught up to us, or turned it in.

My mom was going over for 8-12 months at a time. The only time she had trouble was when she hung her purse over the back of her chair in a restaurant. One person came up and chatted with them, while another snatched the purse. Funny, though, as she had picked up the wrong purse that morning, it was empty except for a broken camera.

As rule, though, I always separate my cash, carry my own locks, and never get distracted.

TMOliver

Since my first trip, 1959 or so, much of three years in the early 60s, there in a variety of seaports where pickpockets were infamous, and a dozen visits since to nooks and crannies around Western Europe, I'm pretty attuned to the trade.

On my last visit I was struck, especially in Italy where the pickpockets and street petty criminals seemed overwhelmingly former residents of a small country only a hop and a skip across the Southern Adriatic, that the breed was as identifiable today as it was 45 years ago as viewed from the Fleet Landing in Naples. The "Fall of the East" has also brought more visible Rom (although I suspect some of the visible are not Rom at all, but simply refugees from the benighted land of cornmeal mush and infamous impalers).

As for dressing down, not wearing white tenny-pumps, etc., "Hogwash!" We 'Merkins are just as recognizable today as we were back in the early 60s, when the FBI men stationed in Naples wore heavy wingtip shoes because J. Edgar set the dress code. Them crafty Uropeens know right away that my blazer was not cut by any local tailor. After all, they've been seeing us come and go for a couple of hundred years, and while adopting many of our worst habits (and a few of the better ones, more frequent bathing and shaving among them), we still look different to them, our origin in most cases as plain as the little buttons on our shirt collars or those chinos I've been wearing since 1959.

Keep your eyes open and avoid entanglements with groups of children/young teens who obviously are not local school kids heading homeward. Old age has me depending upon a cane occasionally, not the "sword" variety, hard to smuggle through airports, but still capable of an awesome thrust a la Scaramouch if attacked by street urchins. It helps with the hitch in my getalong and gives me the confidence of a Georgian rakehell ready for the perils and scoundrels encountered on a Grand Tour.

On the record, I've encountered far fewer perils, villains and scoundrels in Western Europe than in my modest home city in the middle of Texas.

oldpenny16

My late MIL taught me to carry my 'serious' money in my bra. I also carry my hidden wallet in my underwear below waist level.

I got bumped hard by a pickpocket in the lobby of the Marriott in Boston. He didn't get anything, but no one did anything when I screamed. Does that give you a feeling of confidence?

Crime is everywhere. Being in Europe doesn't make crime special.

gendelml

It was late at night and a guy approached me in the Galleries de St. Hubert right by the Grand Place. I was walking home from across town and about half way someone asked me for a lighter. In French I told him that I did not have one. I kept walking and about 2 minutes later in the Galleries he came up to me and started talking about Football. Then, I though to myself that it was kind of odd that he kept asking me what hotel I was staying at- I told him I did not have a hotel here and I was a study abroad student. About 30 seconds after getting away from him, I noticed that my phone, money, metro pass, and keys were gone from my left front pocket.

I went back to ask the guy if he "knew" where my cell phone was since I was sure he had just stolen it. He insisted that he did not know and miraculously it appeared on the ground a few feet away from him. I then asked about my keys and his friend pretended to pick them up from the ground and hand them to me when in fact he was simply setting them down from his pocket. Then I asked for my money which he insisted that he did not have. I told him in French that I knew that he knew where it was. He insisted that he did not. At that point I had to realize that there were two of them and one of me and nobody around to help me. I had to cut my losses and walk away from the situation because any more talk may not work to my benefit.

Based on this, I suggest the following:

1. If you are comfortable approaching your pickpocketer- do it. It is extremely rare that they are armed since guns are illegal in Europe. If they are armed, if you simply walk away and let them have your money you should not have a problem.

2. Don't be afraid to negotiate if you feel comfortable. They do not want your keys/ credit card/ phone. They just want cash! The rest they will give back to you. Why? Everything else can be tracked, but cash cannot. They only want cash.

3. If for some reason you have a lot of cash on you, put it in your shoe if you are alone late at night.

4. It is really easy to get pickpocketed... they are good! From a 2 minute conversation with someone your wallet can be gone.

5. Carrying a knife or pepper spray is a great idea. Do it!

6. People in Brussels are peaceful- the chances that they will hurt you physically or pull a knife/ gun on you are practically none. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself ans your wallet.

If you have any questions about this stuff, I have lots of study-abroad friends over here who have been pickpocketed and I can share advice and stories.

Brussels is AMAZING! ENJOY!

chrissxb

welcome to flyertalk, gendelml

I removed your email address for privacy reasons. people can send you a private message if they want to contact you. We're looking forward to your contribution to flyertalk. once again: welcome aboard!

regards,

chrissxb
moderator
europe forum

stut

I'd disagree with this.

First off, you'd want to check local laws. Carrying offensive weapons, including knives and pepper spray, is illegal in several countries. In fact, in London, WTMDs sporadically appear, and you can be looking at a prison sentence for carrying certain types of knife.

Secondly, handled the wrong way, it's something that can turn theft into something far more serious, both from the physical and legal side. A thief carrying a knife is unlikely to show it if they don't have to, but if you do, you can be guaranteed that they will. And there's a good chance they'll be better at using theirs than you.

Plus, don't assume that the law will be on your side. Using lethal force to defend property is not acceptable, and again, even as the victim of theft, you could find yourself on the receiving end of all sorts of legal problems.

SmilingBoy

You may have met the same guy who stole my iPod 5 years ago. Also asked for a lighter and then talked about football. Around the same area, next to the Central Station. I realised immediately that he took it and placed him in headlock. I then asked him to return my iPod which he did... Not sure I would have done it without the beers I had!

Possibly true for pickpockets, but I heard from many friends that were shown a knife (two of them even a gun) on the street and asked to hand over their belongings.

MisterNice

Why would European pickpockets be armed? Hey it aint the violent US. The pickpocket perps do their thing with cunning and stealth are are soon gone ie faded away. Also many work in teams and immediately pass off the loot to others so if caught the police will find nothing on the original pickpocket perp. As said before forget the pepper spray, knives, swords, etc. Carry little, use an under-the-clothing money belt for the must-haves and be aware as you can.

NOTE: most of the above advice comes directly from the guy who is in charge of security for our European plants and offices

MisterNice

tfar

Lots of good advice here, the best in my opinion coming from TM Oliver and Flying Lawyer.

Brussels, very low risk.

Amsterdam, equally low.

Munich, even lower.

Prague, watch out but don't be scared.

Poverty makes thieves. In this sense Flying Lawyers comments were on the spot. Basically you are watching out for young immigrants from Eastern Europe or Northern Africa (Algeria in particular when in Francophone countries).

If you get mugged and the perps are from the Maghreb, things can get nasty. I once got into a fight with two young guns in Paris. These guys most likely will carry a knife.

The Rom might carry a knife (the men) but won't use it and won't get physically aggressive. They will pick pocket but not mug.

If you happen to run into anyone that appears to be from Russian or Albanian or Serbian, be careful. The bias is that these are among the more violent in crime.

In my 30 years in Europe I had the following incidents (and I was always well dressed and often carried a camera or computer bag):

- Watch stolen from luggage at FRA. Baggage handlers.
- Someone trying to snatch my mothers purse in Paris. She was faster.
- Me getting mugged in Paris. Not funny! 1x
- Me getting approached by said "racaille" (look it up) in Paris 10x in 5 years
- Car broken into and leather jacket and coat stolen in front of disco in Hamburg (wasn't my car but my coat).

Nothing ever happened while I was traveling per se. Those were all places where I was actually living and when I was living there.

Till