Stop Thief!!
Theft around the world is a growing problem. These tips will minimize your risk of being a victim.
TRAVELFEATURED ON HOMEPAGE
8/6/20265 min read
Theft is a growing issue all around the world. Criminals want more and YOU have it! We were recently on a train where a very upset couple was trying to work with their consulate to acquire new travel documents because their luggage was stolen. A cell phone and a purse were all they had left and their travel plans were ruined. When you choose to travel to the amazing bucket-list destinations like Rome, Paris, Athens, Vienna, or New York it takes a lot of planning for a big reward, but these are also giant cities with shady characters.
You can’t stop a criminal or someone who wishes harm to a group of people. What you CAN do is increase your own awareness and preparation. With a little extra planning, you can minimize your risk being a victim of theft.
Part 4: Practice
Whether at home or traveling, practice walking with confident body language. Show the criminals that you are aware of your surroundings. Use the mindset “I am NOT a victim, EVER!”
Whether at home or traveling, practice walking with your head up instead of buried in your phone. Distracted people are the best victims. If you must check your phone, then stop, check, look around, and proceed to your destination.
Practice being a victim with a trusted friend or family member. Then practice being the thief. You will be surprised at what you begin to notice as weaknesses.
Ask a friend to “steal” an item from your purse, backpack, or luggage. Was access easy?
Easy access for you means easy access for a thief. Practice using more complicated latches.
Part 1: Awareness
Not all countries queue the same way. Thieves are less detected when queues are unorganized. While travelers are distracted, they take what’s easy.
While taking in the sites, watch for individuals who seem to be walking back and forth, back and forth without a particular destination in mind. They are likely not looking at the sites but looking at the people distracted by the sites. We observed this behavior in Venice.
Many thieves work in pairs/groups. One tactic is the “Helpful Local” that wipes the unnoticed bird poop off your shoulder while their partner reaches in your bag from behind. Or the “Accidental Spill” by one person onto you to distract. Being distracted by one person or more is possibly the most common ploy.
Be mindful on public transportation during transitions and travel. Put your backpack, suitcase, or purse on your front side when boarding a bus, train, tram, or ferry. Then make sure nothing is unzipped or dangling in plain view. It’s harder to unzip an item when it’s right in front. Prepare for standing shoulder to shoulder which makes theft during transportation easier and being by the doorway also makes theft easier from the platform.
Part 2: Add a layer of difficulty
Airlines try to hire people of good moral character, but occasionally, they get it wrong. It’s safer to send checked luggage toward the belly of the plane when it has TSA approved locks, straps, sleeves, or even plastic wrap, but we know it's not fool proof. Also, checked luggage is safer when the zippers are not over bulging.
Avoid carrying loose objects in pockets no matter how deep they are. NEVER carry items in a back pocket. This includes cash, passports, and cell phones. Bump and grabs are common in big cities and transportation hubs and typically involve teams like stated above.
Don’t pack more than you can manage. Hauling too much gear makes it difficult to board trains or elevators and moving gear in stages creates opportunity for theft.
Choose backpacks and purses with locking zippers. If you can't get a locking zipper, then at least put a carabiner, snap strap, or zip tie on the zippers for an extra layer of difficulty. Examples of locking zippers, carabiners, and snap straps might look like these.
Close and latch pockets, purses, and backpacks completely, even if you are in a hurry. An open pocket/purse is an open invitation for the thief. Take that extra moment to secure your phone, wallet, or passport for an extra layer of difficulty.
Attach your backpack to your luggage with easy-snap straps. Though not fool proof, the heavier a group of items, the less likely they will grow feet and disappear. And, by all means, DON’T leave items unattended for ANY reason. If you walk away even a few feet, they will too.
When sitting at a restaurant or in a public place, slip your foot through the strap of your backpack or purse for one more layer of difficulty.
When walking next to a street, keep your purse or shoulder bag on the side AWAY from the street. Motorcyclists are well known for snatching them and riding away in many countries.
If someone approaches you at a metro/ train station and offers to help you with purchasing tickets, just kindly decline. They are NOT just being nice. You will figure out the machine eventually.
Down-dress on travel days because it only advertises “high-end victim”. Thieves take advantage of travel day anxiety and distractions to strike. They also brazenly yank jewelry right off victims.
Phones and Passports: These are the two most important items you will use in travel, and they are the two most targeted items by thieves. Since the world is turning tech, a cellphone is an open doorway to cash. Before a thief sells your phone, they will steal cash and tickets from every account on the device (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Paypal, Venmo, etc).
Add a leash on your cell phone and use it. Though not fool proof, a leash on a phone minimizes a thief’s ability to snatch and run while you’re taking a photo, checking maps, or even walking with it in your FRONT pocket. Additionally, you can clip the cellphone leash to a purse or a beltloop using a small carabiner.
Dining at a street café is marvelous, as long as you don’t leave your phone on the table while chattering. The grab and go is one of the easiest thefts to prevent.
Invest in a purse or bag that has RFID protection for your passports. Data skimmers are real.
Carry the passport as close to your person as possible. Inside pockets are ideal.
When taking your passport out of your bag at an airport or train station, be diligent about returning it to a safe location before hurrying off to the rest of your trip. This nano-second action is priceless.
Part 3: Divide the assets
Carry one credit card away from the rest of your credit cards. For example, if you keep credit cards in your wallet, then keep one in your backpack in case your wallet is stolen.
Carry an expired driver’s license, separately with that credit card, in case you must prove your identity when the main is stolen.
When carrying cash, divide it into smaller amounts and store bits in several locations. For example, store some in your wallet, some in your backpack, and some in your luggage. But remove it from luggage if you check your bag at an airport.
