Photo caption: Paris, Thursday, 4 p.m., esplanade of Trocadero: Hand in the purse, live
Pickpockets are an unfortunate fact of life in major cities, as you can see in this photo taken in flagrante delicto of one at work on a tourist. Over the years I have heard all kinds of stories about them and witnessed them myself-- they like crowds, operate in pairs and tend to have their hands down low with a coat over their arms, while most people moving through a crowd keep their hands at chest level to keep from bumping into people.
On the metro or bus, pickpockets usually hop on or off just after they've stolen your wallet-- so be especially alert when the doors are about to close. Don't be afraid to shout for help or ask the driver to close the doors.
Pickpockets are not violent criminals-- they don't want trouble and melt away if you scream or yell. Once I saw a theft in the New York City subway, and started calling "Stop thief!" and pointing as a thief was running up the stairs in the subway with a woman's purse. Other people took up the cry. The thief stopped at the top of the stairs, threw the purse he'd stolen back into the crowd and took off.
I've heard that Barcelona has the best pickpockets in Europe. Supposedly they will even throw their babies at you and while you catch the baby, rob you. In Paris one classic is that they will spill something messy on you-- ketchup or wine or oil-- and while they "help" you clean it up, their accomplice robs you blind.
But sometimes they have a heart and drop your passport, which they don't need, into a mailbox.
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