Have you ever seen this advice somewhere, well I guess if you come across travel most places in the world you may see signage with this advice inside the bus, market, tourist attraction or any other public places.

Please do not ignore, even without seeing it, it is a wise to always be vigilant wherever you are. Pickpocket is the biggest enemy of tourist. You would not be able accept the condition whereby you lost your belonging in a strange land. You can lose your pocket where you can keep all your stuff ; credit card, ID, money etc, I know you still can block the credit card, replace your ID however by the moment you lost it you are terribly doomed. You definitely  hate people snatched your camera after you have captured lots of most happening pictures, arrrgh no way right.

I would to love share the pattern of how the pick pocket operate based on my knowledge and experience of being their victim.  ;

First They will work as a team there might be one have watched you from one corner and tail you then contact their friend who stand by to do their action on the other end.

Second they will act together, they simply encircle you without you realizing that they are group of pickpocket, some will distract while other do the job.

Third they will act as if they are your hero, this based my own experience. My wife and I together with our little daughter lost in one of the underground train station, so since we were not familiar we terribly just wandered around with 2 luggages and I still had to carry my daughter, suddenly an old lady approached us then offered us a help, she grabbed one of my luggage, seeing her assisting me I immediately trusted her as she looked innocent and she is old as well, all of these convinced me that she was such a kind lady, well after going up to higher floor by only ascending escalator and stair way, there are no descending escalator, the worst part once we were upstair then one old man said we were on wrong direction, I had no choice but went down stair with my little daughter  and just realized that left my wife upstair with such a heavy luggage so the lady urged me to go up assist my wife as soon as we were upstair the old lady was going up by escalator and informed that the direction should be right, so confusing but I never suspected anything we were so grateful and she just left. After checking in the hotel I counted my money and was so shock of finding out to lose Euro 600, having realized loosing money I started to recall and there was only one lady who actually brought my luggage where I hooked my wife purse on the luggage handle, and we kept the money inside the purse. Oh myyyyy Euro 600 gone for nothing may God forgive her soul.

Fourth When you take public transport please also be alert as this is also the hottest spot for them to operate, especially in the peak hours you are crowded you may have no chance to look around everybody squeeze, this is the time you will be ideal as their prey.

Fifth the second most potential place for pickpocket operation is public places such as market, tourist places. Never lower your radar, use all your senses he can just walk as normal pedestrian bump you then your wallet gone.

The sixth they can use a kind of magic perhaps or hypnotic, what they do is they suddenly appear right into your eyes and pat your shoulder then you lost your consciousness because that is they way they hypnotize you once you are lost they will just tell you what to do, you are done man. 

The seventh is the worst part of all is when they operate as a team one person will stole once you realize it before you even say anything, some other will call you thief. You are doomed, since they are team and local so they are very good to get support from Public and everybody will just punch you, treat you like crap.    

Sooo ! Please do prepare some security measurement and take preventive action.

First of all please dress modestly be humble do not show off as it will attract attention. Do not bring so much cash no jewelry etc c’mon you are travelling why should you show off if it lead you to harm.

Secondly put your wallet inside your short then you put another pants on so you basically prepare some cash put into another wallet that you will keep in your short pocket. Troublesome ? Of course no pain no gain. Alternatively perhaps you are very cautious you can simply put on the leather jacket and keep your wallet into your jacket inside pocket.

The third always avoid crowd if you really have no choice to go crowded places please do best you can to keep some distance which allow you some space to breathe. Once you feel that you are crowded by some people immediately get out of it. Please take public transport at off peak hours and if you see some one pat your shoulder for no reason nor have you ever met them just immediately pat their shoulder back so the negative energy will transfer back to them.