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How To Protect Yourself
From Pickpockets
The "art" of picking pockets is
among one of the world's
oldest professions. Author Charles Dickens'
Artful Dodger
is probably among the best known pickpockets. However,
all
are not juveniles - and all are not males!
The skilled
pickpocket is not the seedy character you'd expect
to find lurking in a
dark doorway. He (or she) appears about
as average as you and I in
appearance and manner. Because
they make a study of how to "blend" into
the crowd, pickpockets
usually remain undetected and can practice their
activities
with little hindrance.
Pickpockets follow no regular
schedule. They operate equally
well during daylight hours as well as at
night. And if you
have been led to believe that picking pockets takes
place
only in crowds, forget it! The only known fact is that
they
generally focus on the public during times when they
might be carrying
more money than usual, such as during
pre-holiday spending sprees,
store sales, at fairs,
carnivals, horse races, gambling casinos, near
bank
entrances, etc.
While many pickpockets work alone, there
are also teams of two
or three which sometimes involves a female
accomplice. A team
with nimble fingers is next to impossible to
apprehend. The
first team member removes the valuables from the
unsuspecting
victim's pockets. He then secretly passes them on to the
next
member who quickly disappears. When a female member is
also
employed, she generally engages the victim in conversation
to
distract or delay his attention.
Contrary to what most think,
experienced pickpockets do not
place their hands all the way into the
victims pockets.
Rather, the expert criminal reaches into the top of
the
pocket, takes up a pleat in the lining, then makes a dozen
or so
more tiny pleats, folding the lining with swift dexterity
between his
fingers. The shortening pocket lining moves
the valuables upward so
that they emerge at the mouth of
the pocket. The entire act takes place
in a second or two.
The best protection for foiling pickpockets is
to remove
the opportunity of becoming a victim. . .
FOR
MEN:
1. The target areas are back trouser pockets, and suitcoat
and
sports jacket pockets, located inside and out. A pickpocket
who values
his freedom avoids front trouser pockets, and
especially buttoned or
zippered pockets.
2. If it is necessary to carry your wallet in an
unbuttoned
pants, coat or jacket pocket, be sure it contains only
what
you can afford to lose. Keep large sums of money, credit
cards,
ID's, etc. in your front pocket or any buttoned or
zippered pocket;
keys on a chain attached to your clothing.
3. Never "pat" your pocket
to see if you wallet is still
there. This notifies the criminal of the
location of your
valuables.
4. Larger size "pocket secretaries" are
especially inviting
to pickpockets - and relatively easy to
steal.
FOR WOMEN
1. Do NOT carry your wallet
in your purse. Conceal it in
a coat or sweater pocket where it does not
show a bulge.
2. Use a purse that is difficult or
time consuming to open.
3. Never let your purse lie
unattended on a store counter
or in a grocery shopping cart.
If
you have been victimized by a pickpocket, immediately
notify police and
give the best description you
can.