Pickpockets protecting yourself · Protecting yourself in Pickpockets
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Protecting yourself in Pickpockets
Protecting yourself in Pickpockets
The basics of protecting yourself are common sense:
Leave the valuables and money you don't need at your hotel room, preferably in a safe.
Know and avoid the most dangerous areas.
Be alert, especially in crowded spaces or when people invade your personal space.
Stash valuables in hard-to-reach places. (see following sections)
Do not carry more cash than you are likely to need.
Carry money and passport in separate places, so that losing one doesn't mean losing the other as well.
Wear packs in front of you, not at the rear or side.
Deep-front trouser pockets offer more protection than back pockets, but be aware that experienced pickpockets can even get into zippered front pockets.
Inside jacket pockets offer even better protection, especially if they are zippered.
Dress inconspicuously so as not draw attention to yourself as a "rich foreigner."
Attach your wallet to a chain. Better yet, ditch the wallet entirely and use a money clip, or just fold the bills into your pocket.
Get a money belt and wear it underneath your clothes. Keep your passport and extra money in there. Even if someone knows you are wearing it, they will be hard-pressed to get at it without you noticing.
Consider taking a page from the thieves' book and use distraction. Carry a cheap wallet with a few small bills in it in an obvious place like your hip pocket. This may decoy pickpockets' attention away from your real stash.
Above all, do not flash your valuables around unnecessarily. An expensive watch on your wrist or fancy camera around your neck is quite a temptation to someone whose annual income may be less than its price.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Pickpockets
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Pickpockets Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.