Originally Posted by thiefhunter

Good tips laid out by thebkguy. I may as well add one additional caution: watch what you put loose on table tops. For example, at a restaurant, you may put your phone on the table, your small camera, or your wallet while you're waiting for change. Same thing at an internet cafe: if you take out your wallet in order to use your credit card online, don't put the wallet on the desk.

Here's the clever trick. Someone comes along to your table and holds out something: a fan of postcards for sale, a map, a newspaper… He/she may mumble something, but then he's gone before you know it. Under the paper, he's clipped your item and leaves with it. Here's an example with photos of perpetrators. http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2008/06/swift-swiper/
Pickpocket "Kharem" had described "his invention" elsewhere on Thiefhunters in Paradise.