Tara Singh
The pattern of pickpocketing in the world’s three biggest tourist destinations. I spent 8 years living, traveling back and forth to Barcelona, Rome and Paris. I can tell you the precise street corners and metro intersections where most of the pickpocketing attempts occur. I can describe for you the body language that you will encounter in these situations. And I can explain to you how tourists carry their bags on their bodies, which in turn makes pickpocketing very easy for pickpockets. I will share all of this with you without having to refer to any of the silly tourist gear that supposedly can ward off pickpocketing, such as money belts and anti-theft underwater clothing. If the owner of the wallet or the phone knew the three basic necessities that a pickpocket needs in order to pick a pocket, none of this would be necessary. These three basic necessities are proximity, distraction, and access.
What pickpockets need to succeed
Three elements are necessary to be a good pickpocket: proximity, distraction and access. It is very common to find crowded public transportation routes, and tourist hotspots in which bottlenecks and escalators are found. In these locations a pickpocket will typically have the necessary proximity to steal from a tourist. The setup required to commit pickpocketing usually draws attention to all of the elements that are required to successfully complete the theft. Typically a ‘distracter’ will bump into a tourist while an ‘assistant’ will steal from the tourist while the tourist is distracted by the encounter with the distracter and the setup of the situation drawn to by the required elements of proximity, distraction and access.
Barcelona specifics
The pickpocketing trick typically occurs in the crowds of tourists visiting the well-known touristic places, such as the Las Ramblas, day and night, the place in front of the Sagrada Familia, or the metro stations in the Line 3 (Catalunya and Espanya, for instance). In these areas, always keep in mind that there is going to be a ‘distracter’ and an ‘assistant’. To travel in these crowds safely, use a crossbody bag in front of you, have your smart phone in an inside pocket of your jacket, coat, or backpack, and in your front pocket (separate from your smart phone), have one card (and a bit of cash) in your real wallet. Stuff your back pocket of your pants with your ‘decoy wallet’ with old expired cards and cash.
Rome specifics
Additional to the crowded tourist hotspots for pickpocketing on public transport in Rome there are also many pickpocket hotspots throughout the city of Rome, throughout the days and also into the late hours of the evening. The areas of Rome with the most history and high value of artifacts and relics are always going to attract a criminal element, but with increased visibility of Police in historical areas of Rome, there are also many areas where pickpockets operate with total impunity and with no police present. The hotspots for pickpocketing outside of the tourist attractions for pickpocketing on public transport in Rome include the Bus 64 route that runs between the Termini Train Station in the center of Rome and the Vatican City. Other Pickpocketing Hotspots include the Metro Line A (Red Line) tracks between the two metro stations of Spagna and Termini in Rome. There is also a hotspot for pickpocketing outside of a Perimeter of the historic ancient building of the Pantheon in Rome. Unlike many of the other historical ancient Sites in Rome the Pantheon is open late in the evening for tourists and pickpockets. There are many variations of pickpocketing scams that are used in Rome including the distraction conversation and the gold ring. Variations of these scams include the following scenario: A tourist is approached by a person who drops a gold ring near them. The person then attempts to return the ring to the tourist and in doing so attempts to pickpocket the tourist for cash and other items of value. The gold ring is made of plated brass.
Paris specifics
Also the Lines 1, 3, 4 and 13 in Paris are very “notorious”. Particularly in the section between Concorde and Bastille of the Line 1. Also be careful at the metro entrance of Trocadero of Line 9, as well as the area of the Sacre-Coeur (on the top of the hill of Montmartre) where usually many pickpocketing scams are set up. Also in this places the common scams of pickpocketing are set up, as the distraction conversation, in order to pickpocket while your are distracted by your partner in crime, and the gold ring, that has many variations, in order to lure you to a conversation in order to pickpocket you for money and other valuables. All of the variants of the gold ring are plated brass and do not have any value. So, in all cases do not get involved in a conversation with people that are saying to you that they have found a gold ring.
Bag placement that defeats most attempts
A crossbody bag is a good idea as it puts the body of the bag in front of you at your hip or sternum. Make sure the zipper is facing towards your body and that you have one hand on the bag at all times. Adding a small clip or carabiner to the main zipper of your bag is an easy and free way to add an extra layer of security to your bag. Wearing a backpack in metros and in highly touristy areas is also a good idea. It looks a bit silly but it is a safer bet than having it slung over your back where pickpockets can easily access it. Put your phone in an interior pocket of your jacket or in the same crossbody bag as your wallet. Don’t put your phone in your back pocket.
What to do if it happens
Once you realize that something has been stolen from you it will most likely be too late to get it back. Pickpockets work as a team. As soon as one of them has picked a pocket he immediately hands over the stolen goods to a runner. Within seconds the thief and the runner disappear into the crowd. It is then almost impossible to get your belongings back, even while you are standing in the same spot where they were stolen. However, the worst case can be averted if you act fast enough. If your wallet or phone has been stolen, you have to file a police report (denuncia in Spain, denuncia in Italy, depot de plainte in France) as soon as possible, call your bank to block your credit cards and call your phone provider to block your lost phone. Your travel insurance which covers theft will most likely require a police report to process your claim.
