May• 2019 | 71the alarm. They know that it’ll send
tourists into a frenzy – and get people
patting their pockets.6 YOU PUT YOUR WALLET IN
YOUR BACK POCKET If you’re going
to keep your valuables in your pocket,
put them in the front. Front pockets
are usually small and tight, making
them harder to remove objects from,
and not to mention easier for you
to notice hands reaching for them.
If your surroundings are chaotic,
back pockets are an easy target. Even
if they’re buttoned, thieves can
sneakily unbutton them or cut them
with a knife.7 PEOPLE START ARGUING IN
PUBLIC Pickpockets know that
people can’t resist watching strangers
fight, so a pair of them will stage
an argument in the hope of getting
a crowd distracted. Another thief
then zeroes in on the gawkers. Other
ways pickpockets cause diversions
and ensure people’s focus is off their
valuables could be by tripping and
falling or acting as if they are sick.8 YOU HANG YOUR BELONGINGS
ON A CHAIR While this is perfectly
acceptable in a restaurant or an
area you’re familiar with, you may
not want to do it in an unfamiliar or
crowded spot. Skilled thieves can
stroll by and snatch up a backpack
strap without even slowing down.
Instead, keep your belongings where4 A GROUP OF PEOPLE COME
TOGETHER, THEN SPLIT UP If
you notice a cluster of people enter
a restaurant or a tourist spot, such
as a museum or cathedral, and then
disperse and start acting as if they’re
alone, steer clear of them as there’s
a real possibility they’re hunting for
victims. Pickpockets rarely work
alone, and accomplices usually
spread out to find a victim.
5 SOMEONE YELLS OUT THAT
A PICKPOCKET IS ABOUT This
might seem like the most obvious
sign there’s a pickpocket lurking, but
maybe not for the reason you think.
Of course, it could just be a worry-
wart tourist. But sometimes, it’s the
pickpockets themselves that sound