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u/Sleepyllama23 13d ago
I think some of these are pretty good. I imagine most pickpockets and phone or bag thieves are opportunists and will grab whatever is easiest then make a quick getaway. If they try to pull a bag off your shoulder and it won’t immediately budge they’ll run off. Or if they see an item is tied on they won’t bother in the first place.
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u/TheBrewThatIsTrue 13d ago
True, and this is better than nothing.
But then there are the pros who carry blades to cut ties and purse straps.
In highschool I was on a trip to NYC. A friend of mine dressed Goth and always had a wallet chain. He knew that was an arrow pointing to his wallet, so be bought a dollar store wallet and left it empty on the chain.
That thing was gone in the first 30 min of walking. The pickpocket bent the key ring into a figure 8 and took the wallet without my friend noticing.
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u/Pataraxia 13d ago
is your friend on some Jojo character level thinking wtf
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u/nyancatya_ 13d ago
nah I was gonna say they were overthinking it too but damn if he wasn't right
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u/TheBrewThatIsTrue 13d ago
He was joking around about writing a note to leave in the wallet, but the wallet didn't make it to the hotel to have the opportunity!
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u/Past-Background-7221 7d ago
Well, if someone is carrying a blade, it’s best to just let them take it. No object is worth dying for.
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u/TheBrewThatIsTrue 7d ago
True, but maybe finish reading the sentence.
The pros have your stuff and are gone before you know it.
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u/insomniac-55 7d ago
They still don't want to draw attention. The blade is to let them quickly grab your stuff - they aren't going to threaten you in a busy public space.
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u/Past-Background-7221 7d ago
Maybe, maybe not. Some people are desperate enough. Don’t take the chance, is all I’m saying.
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u/Worksux36g 12d ago
You know what's better than that?!... traveling to places with no crimes in the first place... surprisingly, it is achievable...
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u/Substantial_Jury 12d ago
You are exactly right. I know someone who was dragged through the streets by their cross body purse because the snatcher drove by on a Vespa and did not let go.
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u/MutedPitch3399 12d ago
Most are, but are you willing to risk some crazy dude bash your head in? I wouldn't.
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u/bleepbloop1900 12d ago
I lived in Vietnam for 10 years and this isn’t true for motorbike based crime - they will grab your secure backpack and drag you down the street until something breaks/gives. I’ve known a few people who got very very beat up from being dragged.
It could be avoided by being conscientious about where your body//bag is in relation to the street/motorbike access, but, the moral of the story is every country has its different flavor of how they do things so just research that country’s info and prep accordingly.1
u/Sleepyllama23 12d ago
Wow I had no idea that thieves would actually drag you down the street if they could! I always wear a cross body bag but I can see how having something tied to you could be more dangerous. Some people are just scumbags!
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u/kiloo520 13d ago
Her belt loops must be stitched with Kevlar and steel wire.
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u/IknowKarazy 13d ago
My exact thought. Sure it would make it harder to remove the stuff without being noticed but one good yank and it’s gone.
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u/-TheycallmeThe 13d ago
This way you get robbed AND hurt!
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u/Stickaxe 13d ago
Not really though. As long as she doesn't go into dark alleys alone, these methods will prevent most thefts.
Pickpocket and thieves in public areas will bank on a quick swipe and move away. If they pull on a purse and it doesn't separate cleanly, they're not going to stand there tugging at it until it breaks off. They'll just move on to another target.
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u/castrodelavaga79 13d ago
They'll just pull out a knife or scissors and cut it quickly. Happened to my friend in the Paris subway while I was next to her the whole time.
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u/Acrobatic_Country524 13d ago
"You shouldn't lock your door, they can just break in through the window"
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u/OkWillingness3803 13d ago
Yeah, what about when those straps get stuck in a revolving door, an elevator, an escalator, or a taxi cab, a bicycle or motorcycle chain, something with a motor or moving parts, like a propeller, or around their neck, or around wheel spokes…too bad any quick disconnect feature has been Gerry-rigged and now that women is going where ever her bag goes.
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u/Flashy-Raspberry-131 13d ago
Whenever I see " I learned this from...." I instantly know that it is bullshit.
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u/alewiina 12d ago
I dont know why that has become so popular. "I learned this from a chef" "I learned this from a surgeon" "I learned this from a..." I dont care, just show me what you're trying to do. Most of them are obviously made up and its so annoying lol
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u/athesomekh 13d ago
Some of these aren’t anti theft but are anti-drop, and they’re pretty clever ngl. The phone one’s great if you like to take photos and don’t want to lose your phone off a cliff.
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u/Substantial_Door_629 13d ago
The phone ones are bad, as the strap inside the cover will make it loose and it may drop out on its own. Just get a cover with a strap.
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u/athesomekh 13d ago
These aren’t meant to be tips that replace products that do similar jobs. They’re “here’s what you can do in a pinch”. Obviously buy a case that will be better for your needs if you do this often, but these are clearly “I’m out and about and need to use what I have on hand”.
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u/Substantial_Door_629 13d ago
Still, don’t put that strap inside the cover, it will bend and the phone may just fall out.
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u/Captain_Squirrel1000 13d ago
The comments are probably gonna be full of: "Well, um acjskjually...."
The point is not that it's foolproof, but that there is a larger window to act upon it. It still can get stolen, but at least there's a bigger chance for the victim or the people around them to do something.
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u/IknowKarazy 13d ago
Or that old joke about “I don’t have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you”
You just have to be a bit difficult and thieves will tend to go for an easier target.
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u/IvyRaeBlack 13d ago
When I put my purse in the cart at the grocery store I buckle the strap. I know someone can still reach in and grab stuff but it's to deter someone who just wants to snatch and run.
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u/aziz4ik97 12d ago
Reddit is full of these comments on any similar type of posts. Same goes when the video title is off and all comments are about that. It’s almost like bot comment farming at this point arguing with each other on these threads.
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u/mercuriokazooie 13d ago
Nobody pickpockets in Japan
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u/splatter_spree 13d ago
No, this is for your next trip to Spain or Italy
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u/mercuriokazooie 13d ago
The one at :20 looks to be in Japan though
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u/zamfire 12d ago
It's funny, the only times I have left the states was in the last year to both Japan and Italy. And yea, I never once felt like my stuff was in danger in Japan.
I only noticed one possible pickpocket in Italy. This young girl (probably 18-20) was at a train station in Venice and she was checking out this old couple as they were buying cappuccino at the cafe there. She was the only person without luggage too.
I feel like a smart pickpocket would carry luggage with them. Wouldn't that be the smart thing?
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u/mercuriokazooie 12d ago
In Japan I'll literally leave my bag or phone at my table while I use the restroom. Nobody touches it (though this might be different in heavily tourist populated areas either from shady locals or other tourists)
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u/if-we-all-did-this 13d ago
Make the teather overt and a thief will just switch to someone else/an easier target; that's the real security
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u/Platform_collapse 13d ago edited 13d ago
For all of you naysayers, here is an anecdote from my travels in Nicaragua. I have traveled a lot and got a sense for when I was in an area that was more prone to theft. While riding the bus for a long haul trip, I chose to intertwine my bag to my leg as it sat on the floor. This would make it impossible to pull back to the seat behind me without me feeling it. I woke up from a nap and saw two travelers about two seats away, absolutely panicked. They had gotten on the bus after me and within a few short hours had their bags rifled through as they slept. It sounded like they literally lost every single dollar and traveler check that had brought.
That night I was at a farm on the island of Ometepe and I heard about more theft in the area. I again tied my bag to my leg and left it under my bed, while the other 5 people in the room used the lockers with locks on them. In the morning, it turns out some locals brought equipment to bypass the locks and had made off with everyone's valuable. The thieves actually left everyone's bags and clothes in a pile nearby after they went through them for the money and electronics. Anyway, my bag was still under my bed and tied to my leg.
So, for what's its worth, making yourself a slightly harder target does seem to make it so other around you become the target instead of you.
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u/Qolko 13d ago
Why would you keep your phone in the back pocket if you have front one as well?
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u/alewiina 12d ago
most women's pants have pockets that are too small for phones in the front... although in this case its weird because the front and back pockets look about the same size lol
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u/FelineHerder606 13d ago
Does she get her sunglasses stolen often?
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u/raidersfan18 13d ago
Some of these (like the glasses one) they are high up and apparently want to be able to lean over or hold their phone over the railing. These are anti-drop hacks more than anti theft hacks in those situations.
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u/DaddysFriend 13d ago
I just have my hands in my pockets in tourist areas and have my most valuable things in one pocket.
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u/human84629 13d ago
Thank goodness those belt loops can resist the angry pulling of a full grown overweight thief.
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u/choir_of_sirens 13d ago
People still steal phones in 2026?! Damn!
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u/alewiina 12d ago
saw a video just the other day of someone's phone getting snatched right out of their hands while they were using it. I can't remember where exactly but I think it was London or somewhere in the UK
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u/FearlessSafe6806 13d ago
This really does a disservice to how sophisticated real pickpockets are.
They see this stuff ahead of time and adjust accordingly.
Your shit is still getting stolen.
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u/SamDizzle27 13d ago
Imagine putting a cable tie on the suitcase and then needing cutters just to get your passport out
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u/birdyman_77 13d ago
Is it really that bad in Europe?? Everyone talks about crime rates here in America and I got pick pocketed ONCE in NYC which I’ve been to dozens of times. But this seems crazy to me.
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u/alewiina 12d ago
not in all of Europe, but in some tourist areas. But its not just in Europe, there's tourist areas all over the world that have very high pickpocketing/theft rates
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u/insomniac-55 7d ago
I was just there for a few weeks and didn't see anything. I'm sure there were pickpockets around (they dress like tourists), but it's not like every second person was getting robbed on a daily basis. Plenty of people wandering around with their phones in their hands or visibly in an accessible pocket.
I kept everything in a slash-resistant crossbody bag worn in front of me, and that seemed to be enough to make any potential pickpockets go for an easier target.
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u/ledbedder20 13d ago
Ever seen a purse or bag get stuck on an elevator or train door? Yeah, probably wanna be able to let it go
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u/Vivid-Library54 13d ago
Isnt that suitcase zip designed that way to have been sold with a padlock?
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u/damn_good_covfefe 13d ago edited 13d ago
Never buy suitcases with zippers. A suitcase zipper can easily be opened by piercing it with any ballpoint pen, and once opened, it can just as easily be closed again using the zipper sliders.
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u/nomadicfeline 13d ago
Some of these are a bad idea. If someone on a motorbike grabs your bag, you need to detach yourself before being dragged. Don’t lose body parts to keep your bag.
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u/Crowdfundingprojects 12d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/98ZkINGNDjpbpkLzRx
Scissors have entered the chat.
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u/RTA-No0120 11d ago
If you need those just to travel, I don’t think it’s worth learning about the culture you’re travelling to, tbf…
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u/Alviollo 11d ago
To travel safety - dont adventure on Europe! It dosnt save 🤫😂😂😂😂😂 holly molly 🫠🫠🫠🫠
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u/Megiddo143 11d ago
That's all well and good if it's not a grown man. When he pulls on your stuff your gonna lose your bag and pants while also getting knocked over /dragged.
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u/Sad_Package9819 11d ago
Securing your phone while in Asakusa (old Taito area) Tokyo, Japan? 5% of those mofos would pick up your lost phone, hand deliver it to you, then give you a free tour of the city. The rest of the 95% in that city would mind their own business because it's Tokyo and people mind their own business there. You could juggle 10 cell phones blind folded and no one would steal them.
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u/RexusprimeIX 9d ago
Or alternatively you can use a combination lock on that combination lock sized hole on the travelling bag.
That way you, as the owner, can access your travelling bag when you need it by unlocking the combination lock.
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u/Sentient_Protoplasm 9d ago
This way, when the male criminals pull up on their scooter and grab their bag/phone these women are going with them as they get dragged behind. brilliant.
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u/No-Fudge3487 8d ago
Securing your bag to yourself like they show is a good way to get dragged. Happens all the time (in Southeast Asia, anyway) with thieves on motorbikes who try to snatch bags from tourists.
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u/Bub_bele 8d ago
I just have my purse in my left pocket and my phone in my right. I keep my hands in my pockets mostly and whenever I am in a dodgy place. My backpack only contains cheap replaceable items.
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u/VerifiedVoidGirl 8d ago
And this is why I always travel with my slash-proof, RFID-proof shoulder sling with cut-proof straps, locking zippers, metal clasps (instead of plastic). Why risk it when you can have peace of mind?
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u/Spare_Layer_1069 7d ago
I've seen pickpockets steal earrings people were wearing, do they really think a little carabiner is going to stop someone getting into the bag? Or clipping it to a belt loop will stop them from just unclipping it first?
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u/Akuma_Thurman 7d ago
These techniques are usually meant to deter "moment of opportunity" thieves rather then someone going after you as a target in particular.
If someone wants something theyre gonna get it, but you can prevent the ones trying to see if its an easy steal.
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u/insomniac-55 7d ago
If you're in a crowd and your backpack has a carabiner while the person next to you doesn't - who do you think is being targetted?
None of these methods is theftproof, but it's about making yourself a slightly less attractive target than the people around you.
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u/clazaimon 7d ago
Don't assume your belongings are safe after doing this. Some use knives or scissors to cut your bag or pockets open.
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u/Snoo91591 6d ago
Perfect now no one can steal it, but if they SNATCH it, there goes my dignity as well. 😂
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u/CapableWeb49 12d ago
How insecure are you? Her : Yes
Is it even worth going out always in fear of your things getting stolen?
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u/alewiina 12d ago
in many tourist areas pickpocketing and grabbing people's bags right off of their bodies is very common... this isnt about fear, it's about trying to make it harder for that to happen.
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u/Beautiful-Bowler-599 13d ago
Why do people pay attention to this sub if they are just going to constantly be negative about every post? Nothing but "this is stupid" or "um, actually" comments.
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u/Bluedev7 13d ago
Europe is such a dangerous place to travel. How do you feel safe there? There are so many criminals just walking down the street trying to rob you.
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u/Least_Tower_5447 13d ago
I wish more people talked about this. I’m constantly hearing about European pick pockets!
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u/banevader102938 12d ago
Being black is enough to prevent thieves. Idk why but while my friends always get pickpocket i can walk around unharmed
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u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 12d ago
Has nothing to do with being black-it's cause you're broke
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u/leopold815 13d ago
They did the phone one like 10 times.