[thunder_god]

For those of you guys who went to Europe did you guys experience any issues with pickpockets? I'm kind of curious if some girls targeted you guys while out daygaming and tried to steal your wallets?

[DMario]

I once threw a guy up against a Subway wall and made him empty his pockets in Paris because I thought he pickpocketed me. Well it turns out my wallet was just in my back pocket, I felt like such a dick.

Another time I was solo in Sweden and got pretty wasted from pregaming. Some Morrocan guys seemed to notice and tried to engaged in a conversation with me. I realized what they were trying to do and guarded my wallet, while pushing one of them away. When I got home I realized that I didnt have a watch. Sneaky Mofos.

Never any experences while gaming though.

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

Girls? No but it's pretty much unavoidable in crowded public squares in some countries. Whenever I go to Rome (and consequently the Vatican) I just leave my watch and wallet home or in the car to avoid any trouble. That's all you can do in my humble opinion; put the valuables away.

Edit: Coat pockets are magnificent.

[El_Mono]

(06-05-2015 03:03 AM)Porfirio Rubirosa Wrote:  

Girls? No but it's pretty much unavoidable in crowded public squares in some countries. Whenever I go to Rome (and consequently the Vatican) I just leave my watch and wallet home or in the car to avoid any trouble. That's all you can do in my humble opinion; put the valuables away.

It is the same about any other touristic place in Europe. Especially about France and Spain. I heard that they are really into smartphones now in these places.

You can't do much about that. Just try to keep an eye on your belongings.

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

(06-05-2015 03:08 AM)El_Mono Wrote:  

(06-05-2015 03:03 AM)Porfirio Rubirosa Wrote:  

Girls? No but it's pretty much unavoidable in crowded public squares in some countries. Whenever I go to Rome (and consequently the Vatican) I just leave my watch and wallet home or in the car to avoid any trouble. That's all you can do in my humble opinion; put the valuables away.

It is the same about any other touristic place in Europe. Especially about France and Spain. I heard that they are really into smartphones now in these places.

You can't do much about that. Just try to keep an eye on your belongings.

Exactly. The authorities have no way of responding. Protecting one's belongings is the way to go.

[Amsterdamned]

put your bank card on a seperate place on your body ,your money on a seperate place and your wallet on a seperate place on ,so if you might lose one,you don't lose everything .

[Prof. Ligate]

Spend 3 months in Romania, didn't get pick-pocketed once. 1 month more in Central Europe, don't get pick-pocketed

But spend 1 week in Berlin and get pick-pocketed and pepper sprayed outside Watergate nightclub

Lost bout 200 euro cash (kept ID + cards in separate pocket). Saw he bumped into me... checked for my money holder in jacket... realise what happened... I tell him off... and I get pepper sprayed

[Seadog]

Why should you have to changewhat you do in regards to this stuff? Wouldn't it be far better to teach Moroccans and Gypsies not to pickpocket?

In seriousness though, generally anywhere with lots of people wallet and phone in front pocket, with a hand on them. Met probably half a dozen people backpacking in 2 months in western Europe who were subject to petty theft (Rome and Spain were worst for it in my anecdotal experience). While it sucks to be a bit of a cynic, bascially just don't be low hanging fruit. Don't leave stuff unattended on beach, lock up things at hostels, dont have wallets in open cargo pockets with your back to a crowd, don't go out with more stuff than you need/can afford to lose.

[cascadecombo]

Living and traveling in Japan/Korea is going to make me a softie for these kinds of things.

I've lost my phone to have it returned, I've had friends lose their wallets to have them returned with all the cash in them. I've been at the beach with all my stuff sitting on a rock for anyone to steal but it remains safe for hours and hours with me never returning to the spot until the end.

Not the wisest thing to do, but I'll be damned if these countries don't make people soft. With that said, I'm surprised I don't hear more about Asians getting shit stolen from them more often.

[thunder_god]

(06-05-2015 05:01 AM)cascadecombo Wrote:  

Living and traveling in Japan/Korea is going to make me a softie for these kinds of things.

I've lost my phone to have it returned, I've had friends lose their wallets to have them returned with all the cash in them. I've been at the beach with all my stuff sitting on a rock for anyone to steal but it remains safe for hours and hours with me never returning to the spot until the end.

Not the wisest thing to do, but I'll be damned if these countries don't make people soft. With that said, I'm surprised I don't hear more about Asians getting shit stolen from them more often.

Apparently Asians are targetted more by gypsies because they think we carry more cash on us instead of credit cards. Anyways I think this this fucking bullshit. This scum should be deported back to Romania. Its unbelievable the amount of videos on youtube you can find about these people stealing.

[Malo]

Barcelona is pickpocket central of Europe, leaving every other city far, far, far behind.

The horror stories are endless and I have witnessed it first hand several times as well.

Listen to upcoming "but I have been to Barcelona and never got pickpocketed" posts at your own risk.

If you go there, equip yourself with an unhealthy level of paranoia regarding your belongings. Nothing less will do.

This also applies to the belongings you leave in your room when you're staying at a hostel or a shabby hotel.

And credit card frauds aren't spared there either. My brother got a mysterious 2000 Euro charge on his card. Luckily the insurance kicked in. Best pay cash.

[The Beast1]

I went to Spain a very long time ago. Before we went, I was told to watch out for pickpocketers.

We were outside of the Plaza Mayor in Madrid and these three women come up to the one guy in our group. This guy is pretty big. He looks fat, but he's a farmer and built like an ox.

Anywho, he felt the one on his side reaching into his pocket. He grabs the girl by her neck and lifts her up off of the ground.

She never got his wallet, but gave her a good scare. I would have roughed her up a bit.

[blck]

OP watched the new will smith movie and now think every pretty girl is a pickpocket

[averagebritguy]

It happens a lot...happened to me when drunk in Poland...but she mostly got receipts

Just be aware of your surroundings...if your going to be in dodgy unlit areas at night...it can be par for the course...only ever take 1 card, some notes, just what you need, a phone and a room/flat key. I don't carry id unless I absolutely have to. Don't take a wallet, or a combination phone/wallet case. Try to keep everything in separate pockets. Split notes up. Get a cheap phone for traveling, get travel insurance. Backup your contacts, photos etc. If someone mugs you...you can get a new phone.

Having said that, I've traveled a lot on my own, and only been hit a couple of times...had a couple of close calls in my own country, and been with friends who have had stuff nicked. The majority of people around the world are decent people...if you have a gut feeling about someone...go with your gut. Don't be a target for opportunists...

[MrRoundtree]

In Paris asian and tourists are targetted..you have to watch out in Trocadero/ notre-dame and the metro where a lot of people get stolen.

In Lille I got out of a bar tired and drunk was checking out something on my phone and got it stolen by gypsies hanging out at the exit who danced around me and everything happened super fast..

[Malo]

(06-05-2015 07:28 AM)averagebritguy Wrote:  

It happens a lot...happened to me when drunk in Poland...but she mostly got receipts

Just be aware of your surroundings...if your going to be in dodgy unlit areas at night...

Yep and in Poland, it's not much about pickpocketing as it is about beating you up and then stealing your wallet and phone.

Don't get toooo friendly with guys, especially when you're drunk or if you look exotic (an obvious foreigner).

If you just stay cool and use common sense you are unlikely to have a problem.

There's also the famous girl scam of a hot girl approaching you on the street, tells you how handsome you are, asks you to go with her to a specific bar, where you are then charged 1K Euro for a drink with a king kong bouncer making sure you pay.

Avoiding this is also pretty easy. Are you normally being approached by super hot girls being all super friendly to you?? If you aren't, then this isn't your lucky day, the opposite is true. Just say no thanks and keep moving.

[Malo]

Italy: my ex gf got her bag grabbed by two guys on a motorcycle.

She was walking on the sidewalk, with her bag not facing the road, as she was actually aware of this type of theft.

So the bike just climbed on the sidewalk, past next to her on the other side and grabbed the bag. Got back on the road and drove on.

Pickpocketing stories are rampant in Italy. Not as much as Barcelona since that one will likely never be beat, but it's definitely a common problem there.

[Malo]

(06-05-2015 01:42 AM)DMario Wrote:  

Another time I was solo in Sweden and got pretty wasted from pregaming. Some Morrocan guys seemed to notice and tried to engaged in a conversation with me. I realized what they were trying to do and guarded my wallet, while pushing one of them away. When I got home I realized that I didnt have a watch. Sneaky Mofos.

Yep a known trick in a crowded place (especially on buses) is that one guy comes facing you closely, and starts breathing heavily in your face.

So you're like "yeah it's crowded but get your smelly breath off me you freak", turning your head to the side. While you're distracted he's all over your pouch, bag, etc. What he finds, he immediately passes to his friend standing next to him.

Once you discover what happened, confronting the guy won't help. He has nothing on him and you've never actually seen who his friend is.

[storm]

I've heard firsthand stories about this but never experienced any of it. When traveling you always want to practice a few basics:
1. have backup documents/wallet
2. bring minimal money/documents with you

There were times when I rocked a decoy wallet with expired/cancelled credit cards/IDs and cash, with the real deal somewhere else. But after pushing through some of the most dangerous places in the world (including active warzones) and never being mugged or seeing anyone be mugged I mostly just take one CREDIT card, some documents, and some cash and leave the rest at the hotel.

IIRC Alibaba had a shirt stolen by a guy who climbed in through the hotel window in DR, so you may not want to leave things in the hotel depending on the place.

[opening23]

Par for the course in Spain. I've seen it all, but luckily never been a victim. Back in the day it used to be popular the two guys riding on a moto and snatch and grab. Haven't seen that in awhile. Another great one which I have seen firsthand in Atocha is one guy watching the luggage for a group. Others go to the toilet. Smartly dressed guys walks past the guy watching the luggage and drops something. Apparently he has back issues and needs some help picking it up. Friendly tourist fresh off the farm bends over to help him and do his good for the world, while the accomplice of the smartly dressed guy does a quick walk by and grabs a bag. Saw the same thing happen in Barcelona...older couple with car on side of the road. Looking at their map. Guy comes by to help them and distracts them with map while his friend is opening their car door on the other side taking all their shit. They were Dutch and my gf at the time was Dutch and started screaming to them...you are being robbed! Before you know it, another dude comes out of nowhere with a moto and the guy who was stealing shit takes off on the moto. Bottom line...just keep your wits about you, but don't be paranoid.

[Drazen]

I was walking in Barcelona late at night, drunk and with others back to my apartment. A few gypsy prostitutes started going up to me, grabbing my crotch area and at the same time trying to steal the shit in my pocket. Like 3 or 4 of them in coordination. I put my hands in my pockets and started swinging my extended elbows at them. They are VERY aggressive. I hit them a few times and they really gave no fucks as if it were a common occurence to do so.

I think most of the time they happen on the metro as you exit the subway car.

[MikeS]

I've lived here for 38 years (and probably visited around 12-14 European countries, most West, a few East), carry my wallet and phone in my jeans/shorts side pockets during summer or usually in my jacket in the winter. Never been pickpocketed or robbed.

[britchard]

This is one area where the UK and Ireland is miles ahead. Paris is awful, you can just sense what's up.

[chyamor]

So It sounds like you need to stay at a trusted brand hotel and not carry more than 50 euro's in Barcelona

[Frontenac]

I'm not sure what I'd do if someone tried to pick pocket me. I'd be hard pressed not to start throwing punches.