Do pickpockets target cell phones ?

Think about it. You might have 200€ in your pocket, but a phone worth 500€ in your hand. So yes, a professional pickpocket will try to take your phone, and your money, and anything else of value. That being said, taking some basic precautions, being aware of your surroundings. and using common sense will go a long way to avoiding problems. We have been traveling (extensively) for over forty years and have never successfully been pick pocketed (we have foiled a few attempts).

We like to draw a comparison to the USA. If you are walking in parts of our country, somebody might come up to you, put a bullet in your head, and take what they please. In Europe the crimes are usually more professional and subtle :). If you insist on carrying valuables in a careless way....then you will likely be a target. But pros look for the easy "mark" so just do not make yourself "easy." We have a friend who worries about having her jewelry stolen in Europe. Of course the obvious solution is not to wear expensive jewelry and keep anything of value always locked in a hotel/cruise safe.

Hank

Great advice as usual. Thanks!

B cruise

 

Having a mobile phone snatched from your hand has to be one of the most common thefts going. I just don't understand why anybody would walk around with a phone in their hand in a busy place, leAst of all in a foreign country.

This is where common sense takes a back seat! How many folks would walk around with a $500 bill just flapping out of their hand? Nobody! But many folks think nothing of walking around with their face buried in a $500+ Smart Phone...which is a very easy target for any thief. That phone might only be worth $200 on the black market...but this is more then a thief gets by picking many pockets...and its much easier to snatch a cell phone out of somebody's hand. We have a friend who only wears cheap watches (usually Casio) when they are walking around ports....but this same person has their iPhone 7 hanging out of their pocket or nestled lightly in their hand! Go figure.

Hank

A news article on BBC London News yesterday showed two young boys riding the wrong way down the M11 Motorway, causing havoc.

They had just been on a spree in central London snatching mobile phones from peoples' hands. News reporter said this type of crime had increase 600 fold in the past year.

My wife and I both like to use our iPhones as cameras. I'm curious whether anyone's ever come across a way to secure an iPhone while using it like that, like maybe a phone case with a strap you could loop around your wrist or neck. We don't actually own a regular camera, but I may buy one for our upcoming trip--though I'd be happier if there was a way to secure our phones so we could continue to use them.

I think I have seen a security strap for IPhone on Pacsafe website. Don't know if it's easy to use and really secure but you might have a look.

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I found the reference : carrysafe 25i, better to have a special phone case just for your trip, because you have to stick a part of the security system on the phone and it would be a pity to spoil youre iPhone!

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It is not the fact that you have a smart phone, it is how and when you are using it and how you have situational awareness. If you stop and are taking a photo, you are mindful of what you are doing. If you stop and back up against a wall or into a building to look at some directions, you are mindful of what you are doing. If you are walking down the street while looking at your phone, you are not really mindful. If you have a tourist target bag on you and just have it hanging on you while on a bus, Metro, or even just standing and looking at something or talking to someone, you are not really mindful. If you carry your phone in your front or back pocket like you do at home, you are not really mindful. If you put your phone down on the table while you are eating, you are not really mindful.

It really is not rocket science, just have your wits about you and be aware of your surroundings as in any large city.

Personally, if the thief wants my smartphone go take it. But if the took my passport which is worth infinitely more on the black market I'd be hysterical.

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I really don't think that passport theft is particularly rife these days. Forgers are just too good to take the risk of theft.

At the end of the day it is easy enough to get a police report and letter from the embassy. Inconvenient, yes, but not impossible.

Lately when traveling, hiking, etc. I have been keeping my phone on a lanyard around my neck. Super convenient to tuck inside a shirt or jacket when not using and tethered so when looking at it, taking pictures, it is in my case much less likely to be dropped but would prevent easy snatching as well.

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This is interesting. I live and work in a US city, walking and taking transit, but always have my phone in my hand and do so in other cities in the US. I will have to change my practice. In the past, I've used it for google maps walking directions, moovit type transit apps, I have my guidebooks and maps on it, taking photos, getting a call or text from someone I'm trying to meet. In general, Europe seems much safer so I haven't worried, but I guess not for having your phone handy as a travel device. So what's the best practice for using it for those purposes? Trying to have it in a zippered cross body purse when not being actively used, but still leaving direction apps running? I'm curious what people do if that's their primary source of travel info (I can certainly give up checking social media while there)?

Cautionary tale…

Three weeks ago, a fellow teacher, some students, and I were on a land holiday with an educational tour group in Spain. As we walked down a fairly busy street in Madrid, close to City Hall, we stopped at a red light. I had been using my brand-new $1100 iPhone 7 to take pictures as we walked. I have a cross body travel purse which I hold in front of me, with my hand always over the zipper portion.

At the red light, one of the students asked me to hold his jacket for a second while he adjusted his clothing, and I quickly put the phone in the outside flap pocket of my purse, in my haste to help him. Within seconds, I get tapped on the shoulder, turn around and a young Spaniard with a friend is holding my phone in his hand, passing it to me. I was completely confused as to how he got it in his possession, thinking maybe it fell out of my purse. Then I noticed two late-teens males, standing next to them and realize that one of them had lifted my phone out of my purse. This must have been seen by the two older (in their 20's) gentleman who retrieved it for me. The two older males were absolutely livid with the younger ones and I thought they might actually give them a bit of a beating, but they let them walk away.

I was shocked that this took literally seconds, the theft and the retrieval, and I felt and saw nothing. Neither did my six students or my colleague, a big burly fellow who had actually been eying the two younger guys for about a block as he felt they were a little bit too close to our group. Even keeping an eye on them, my colleague completely missed them taking my phone. Shows you just how professional these guys are.

Was really glad to get my phone back, especially as it was a new work phone! Hoping for good karma for the two fellows who got it back for me. Was a truly surreal experience. First time in six trips to Europe with students that anyone had anything stolen, and it had to be me! Kids, of course, never let me live it down the whole trip. :')

I really don't think that passport theft is particularly rife these days. Forgers are just too good to take the risk of theft.

 

At the end of the day it is easy enough to get a police report and letter from the embassy. Inconvenient, yes, but not impossible.

There is still a big worldwide demand for stolen Passports. The thefts are often done by professional street thief's (like Roma/Gypsies) who quickly sell them on a worldwide black market or put them up for sale on the so-called dark internet (download Tor browser and you can also explore the dark side). Some Passports are still worth thousands of dollars so they are a big target.

If one loses a Passport while on a cruise or land trip, it could delay them for several days (while they wait to get a replacement). Many government consuls/embassies do not even work on such issues during weekends/holidays...so if you find your passport stolen on a Friday afternoon you will probably be waiting around until Monday to even start the replacement process.

As to cell phones, we think a bigger problem then having the phone stolen is that the phone makes it easy to steal everything else :). Let me explain. Sit at a well located outdoor cafe...and just watch folks walking to and fro, You will see many with their attention totally on their phone as they send/receive texts, follow a GPS route, etc. The phone has already accomplished what every street thief covets....it has diverted your attention from your surroundings. This makes you a very easy target. A wise friend once told me that Smart Phones have guaranteed full employment for pickpockets. Most do not realize how they focus on that phone to the exclusion of everything else. A popular video shows a teen female walking in a shopping mall looking at her phone...until she walks right into a low wall and falls into a huge water fountain. That says it all.

Hank

I believe that traveling solo and not with a tour group helps me a little. A group of tourists, focused on whatever that tour leader is saying or showing, is probably a better target-rich environment than a single person walking like I know where I'm going, stopping against walls than out on the curb, ducking inside a building if I have to take a long look at my phone. If I have to have the phone out somewhere while I'm waiting, I'll look at those around me, and try to blend in with the locals on their phones.