The public transportation system is a necessity in the lives of commuters and travelers. Without buses and trains, going from one place to another can be very expensive. Not everyone has a car or is willing to bike all the way through. Not all travelers or tourists can afford to rent cars and take cab rides. This is why at the busiest hours of the day, platforms and terminals are filled with hundreds of people just trying to get on and off at their stops.
Unfortunately, rush hour commutes also make these places a feast for pickpockets. People often think that pickpockets are lone wolves working solitary operations lifting wallets and phones off unsuspecting victims. The reality is that many pickpockets work in organized groups in crowded places such as these. How?
Take a look at this video.
Ā āThe Bottleneckā: How It Works
The pickpocketās technique that you just witnessed is called the bottleneck. In places where people crowd and wait to move in one direction, a pickpocketās accomplices will create a blockage at a passageway so that more people will gather as they push forward. As people crowd around them, the target is no longer in the mindset of trying to sense whether their belongings are still safe. They just want to get to the exit.
Even when the target realizes that their valuables are being taken, it can be quite hard to turn around to see who the pickpocket is. In the rare moment that they see who it is, the pickpocketās accomplices may start to create an even tighter blockage to prevent the target from running after the thief.
How to Protect Yourself
Pickpockets are smart, we can tell you that. They can always think of ingenious ways to outsmart someone for a quick buck. So, what can you do to protect yourself? Here are some tips:
Keep these in mind the next time you travel to avoid losing your valuables. If you stay alert and travel smart, youāll get to your destination safely whether youāre traveling as a tourist or just heading off to work.
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