Latitudes with Lucy

Pickpocket awareness is essential for anyone visiting a big city or major tourist destination. During my orientation to study abroad in Barcelona, I learned that 2/3 of students in my program get pickpocketed, either in Barcelona or while visiting another city in Europe. Even well-trained Barcelona locals get pickpocketed on occasion. And pickpocketing is not unique to Europe—while I was on Semester at Sea, I’d estimate a dozen people on the ship had their phones stolen in Cape Town. I am proud to say, on my travels across Europe, Asia, Africa, and my home country of the United States, I have never been pickpocketed. I am going to teach you everything I know about avoiding pickpockets.

1. Be aware of your surroundings.
2. Consume alcohol with caution.
3. Don’t keep anything in your back pockets.
4. Choose your purse or bag carefully.
5. Keep your belongings close on public transit.
6. Don’t scroll on street corners.
7. Be wary of an open car window.
8. Keep your bags close at restaurants.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Even if you’re someone who doesn’t often look at your phone, it’s easy to lose track of your surroundings as a tourist. You might gaze at an iconic landmark or study a map of the public transit system.

Consume alcohol with caution.

If you decide to drink, don’t stumble down the street afterward. Visibly intoxicated people are prime targets for pickpockets. Pickpockets lurk around bars and nightclubs, and the fee to enter a club is only a small investment to pickpocket people on a crowded dance floor. It’s hard to feel a hand reach for your pocket when you’re getting jostled on a crowded dance floor. When I went out partying in Barcelona, I wore a small purse that I could tuck tightly under my arm.

Don’t keep anything in your back pockets.

I would never put my phone in my back pocket in a big city or other unfamiliar public place. Your front pockets are safer from pickpockets, but, in crowded areas like nightclubs, I wouldn’t use a front pocket unless it could be secured with a button or zipper.

Choose your purse or bag carefully.

The safest option is to wear a snug crossbody bag, but I know that is not everybody’s preference. Many of my friends and I wore Lululemon “belt bags” which can be worn crossbody or as a fanny pack. Do not use a purse that has a clip-on strap, as a pickpocket can unlatch your bag in a second. You can also purchase an anti-pickpocket purse or backpack. Some travelers also like to keep their passport and other valuables hidden in a money belt worn under their clothes.

I find tote bags more secure than backpacks, but, if you must wear a backpack, slide the zippers to the side of the bag, and consider wearing it on your front in crowded areas.

Keep your belongings close on public transit.

Wear your backpack on the front of your body while on public transportation. Additionally, on a vehicle with automatic doors, people might snatch your bag/phone and run out the door right as it closes. Be especially careful if you’re standing next to the door, and definitely don’t have your phone in your hands near an open door.

Don’t scroll on street corners.

What I mean by this is don’t mindlessly use your phone while standing on a curb. People do this frequently, whether they’re waiting for the light to change at a crosswalk or checking if their Uber is almost there. Pickpockets will zip by on a bike or car and snatch your phone from your hands.

Be wary of an open car window.

In addition to watching the cars that pass you on the street, be careful when you are inside a car. My taxi driver in Mombasa, Kenya, warned me not to hold my phone near our open car window. Someone might walk by and snatch my phone from my hands while I’m texting at a stop light.

Keep your bags close at restaurants.

Even if you’re dining indoors, keep your purse close and in your line of sight. As uncomfortable as it is, I usually kept my purse on my lap when I went out to restaurants in Barcelona. Pickpockets in major tourist destinations will look through the windows for items left out on tables.

I bought a 10€ little black purse my first week in Barcelona, and we have been through so much together. If you can make a habit of keeping your belongings close and staying aware of your surroundings, you really shouldn’t have any problems with pickpockets. I hope the only “empty pockets” you discover after a night out in the city are from buying one too many rounds for your friends!