5 Tricks to Prevent a Classic Pickpocketing Scheme
Travel leads to a whirlwind of exciting adventures to cherish forever. However, it isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. Sometimes you have to deal with transportation problems, language barriers, and pickpockets. The uncertainties of travel are irritating realities. Although you can’t control everything, you can try to prevent these bad things from happening.
Pickpocketing, for instance, has become quite common in tourist areas around the world. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent one or a group of individuals from stealing your valuables and ruining your vacation. Here, you will learn five tricks to prevent a classic pickpocketing scheme: the push.
How the Push-on-the-Street Scheme Works
The push-on-the street scheme is a very common technique that petty criminals like to do in crowded areas. Pickpocketing in Europe, for instance, is prevalent around tourist attractions and transportation hubs. That’s because people are usually distracted in these places.
For this particular distraction technique, a pickpocket bumps into you, seemingly by accident. Once you are distracted, a partner will slip their hand into your bag or jacket pocket and steal your wallet or phone.
Often, pickpockets like to work in groups. Two thieves, for instance, will start a fight in public to draw the attention of the crowd. The moment their target gets distracted, another pickpocket commits the crime.
How to Outsmart Pickpockets
Avoiding crowded areas isn’t always possible, especially when visiting popular tourist destinations or when you need to use public transportation. Still, there are plenty of ways to prevent these sly and devious individuals from taking your valuables. Aside from wearing a money belt, you can put on several kinds of theft-proof clothing.
1. Anti-theft scarves
Instead of stashing your smartphone, cash, and passport in your bag, you can hide them in a very unconventional place—a scarf. These anti-theft scarves come with secret pockets. They are strong enough to hold all your valuables, but their soft fabric makes them comfortable and fashionable as well.
2. Underwear with secret pockets
To prevent a pickpocket from ruining your trip abroad, hide your cash in places where thieves won’t bother to look. One option both men and women can use is anti-theft underwear, with secret pockets large enough to fit a smartphone and a passport.
3. Pickpocket-proof jackets
You can have other clothing choices if the idea of wearing anti-theft underwear doesn’t excite you. For instance, you can buy hoodies with secret zippered pockets.
4. Shirts with zipper pockets
Let’s say a jacket isn’t a practical choice of clothing for where you’re going. You can choose a pickpocket-proof shirt instead. Much like the rest of the items, it comes with hidden zippered pockets.
5. Pants with zipper pockets
Anti-theft clothes don’t have to be fancy. If you want something basic, you can stick to theft-proof pants with secret zippered pockets.
Travel can lead to happy memories as long as thieves don’t have the opportunity to rain on your parade. Take these precautions to outsmart these street thieves, and use Clever Travel Companion’s anti-theft clothing to make your adventures feel more safe and comfortable.