Don't know if this has been covered in other posts but it was new to me. In railway stations etc. I'm usually on guard against 'traditional' pick pockets: those who steal wallets by emptying pockets or open handbags.

Last weekend my wife and I were transiting Brussels Midi station, I had a suitcase and a small rucksack, the latter hanging off one shoulder. When we paused in front of the Metro counters, a guy suddenly said spoke behind me something like "Hey, you've got stuff all over your jacket" My wife looked and was shocked to find a horrible looking brown liquid dripping down my back. I took the jacket off, placed my sack on the ground, the guy appeared again with some paper towels, helped clean the jacket. I thanked him, he left, I looked down and - you guessed it - my sack was gone! Fortunately, the inconvenience was minimal - my wallet was in the inside of my jacket and I only lost a few personal bits and pieces. Apparently, this method is called 'distraction technique' and there are lots of variations.

Beware of women (nice looking ones) who pull you to one side, and flash you with their boobs....

"This video contains content from Channel 4, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds".

Works fine for me.... Just do a youtube search for ''Derren Brown pickpocket''


He takes distraction techniques to the next level

cheers
SC

This dirty jacket technique has been around for a while. Another on is the guy who stands in front of you and blocks you, just as you try to get on a train. Then his mate empties your pockets from behind.

I've sadly gotten to the point to where there is no reason for anyone to come up to me on the street any more and anyone within half a meter will be treated like a thief.

I was accosted by two fake petition people in Enge the other day and had to push them out of my way.

Theft by deception or subterfuge is one thing, but actually pouring something dirty on clothes is the next level of lowlife. It makes me sad.

I'm exactly like that now ... in fact I'm standing at cornavin ( GE train station ) and I must look like a meerkat - hyper alert !

Oh, and if someone approaches you and requires your help, telling you an incoherent melodramatic story...be aware. I wasn't.

Another trick is - they come near you in a group (you're not aware they form a group untill is too late, usually) and all of a suddent get too close to you, talking to each other, and then push you. That is the moment you must hold tight your bag, rucksack or wallet.

I got hit by this little routine a couple of years ago

I just got pick-pocketed, Geneva / Cornavin

hence my earlier comment about being hyper aware.

Got a similar variation of the brown liquid trick in Barcelona. Sprayed on my dad from a side-alley.

Also, an 'older' guy who tried to single out / separate our very petite Italian friend from the group by stepping between her and the rest of the group and then causing the rest of the group to slow down as we meandered along the street. My husband caught on what was happening and had to run around this guy and stand next to her really close so he got the message that we were 'together'...

The rest of the group weren't really aware what was going on - he tried the trick three times before he gave up.. .cutting between the members of the group, slowing down his pace so the one or two in front walked further ahead whilst the rest of the group fell behind further and further...

I've also been conned by an old drunk using the change machine at the HB in Zurich - the machine gives one lot of change and then waits a few seconds until it spits out the other change - he stood over me so I felt completely uncomfortable and then swiped my change from the machine and walked away.... I bet the same technique works at an ATM but would probably be caught on camera...

Anybody watch "The real hustle"? Haven't watched it in a while due to decreasing tv watching habits, but they show how some really common scams work. Along with nifty bar tricks you can pull to win free drinks (if you ever remember the bloody trick)

YouTube Search

Distraction Steals:

Ah, Brussels.

hahaha! While you were reading this thread I stole all your rep.

beware the crowded rush hour trick on the trains in Greece. If you're standing in the entrance way of a door on a a train when its busy and there is no room to sit and you just remain standing near the door, this is what they do (its actually very coordinated and organised!). a massive bunch of people (thieves i guess) will quickly run to the train before the final door close. they squeeze in so that there is absolutely no more room on board. then a few more come who will try to squeeze on too but the others push them off as if to say "you're not gonna fit in here". But what actually happens is 2 things: 1. if they were successful in pickpocketing during the sqeeze they will pass the goods to their fellow thieves who they just pushed off the train. 2. the thieves who couldnt make it on board grab suitcases and handbags from tourists just b4 the door closes, and get pushed off with the gear in hand. The tourists may well notice this, but the final door has closed and the train takes off and there is not a damn thing you can do about it!

Yeah, the brown liquid on the jacket has been around for a while ... and, seriously, they're trying to steal things of significant value from you, so they're not going to give a toss if they ruin your jacket as well. Basically, whenever you're in a high-tourist area, you have to be alert - and stick with your group.

So you reckon Letterman got done by Eva?

Here are a few more scams I have been warned about:

Train pulls out, guy runs along outside and bangs on window, shouting. People look up surprised at him, inattentive to other passengers. Accomplice steals bags.

Guy in train compartment shouts "I've just been pick-pocketed!" All other passengers immediately put hands on wallets to check, and later accomplices move in to identified targets.

You're standing in a queue with a bag between your ankles. Guy comes up from behind, slaps you heartily on your back shouting "Hi'ya Joe, long time, no see!" You totter forward and turn. Guy apologises about mistaken identity and leaves. So does your bag.

Woman drops bag in station, stuff spews out. You stop, put down your own bag to help. Yeah, you guessed it.

Sad, isn't it?

@ Swiss Bill,

The dropping things is also an old trick. Years ago, back in NYC, I had my purse stolen in a restaurant by someone who sat at the next table, dropped a napkin on the floor, and while bending over to retrieve it, lifted my purse in the process and took off. Lesson learned! Also, while walking along 47th Street once (Diamond district) and carrying a heavy briefcase, I was warned by a private plainclothes security officer to be alert for anyone dropping things on the sidewalk. He explained they would walk in front of someone carrying what appeared to be jewel cases, then drop a bunch of coins on the sidewalk, and if/when the person with the case stopped to help pick up the coins, their cases would be robbed.

Sadly, I've also gotten to the same point as NicoleCZ: HIGHLY suspicious of anyone who gets too close to me, which happens way too often here. I was recently approached on the street by a couple who started with "Grüezi, entschüldigung..." to which I replied with a stern "NEIN".

I (thankfully, touch wood!) have never had anything pickpocketed from me....but I have been in a few situations where it's nearly happened. In Paris, by the Eiffel tower, I was on my own, and 3 guys selling keyrings and whatever came up to me, talking really fast in french, and whilst I was saying Non Merci to them, I was aware of another guy behind me, and I was wearing an across the body bag, which I quickly grabbed, and pulled round to the front of me. They soon lost interest, once I had a firm grip of my bag....

The train trick where they all squish onto a train, pickpocket you and jump off just as the doors are closing I saw happening on 2 or 3 occasions in Barcelona. Again, same bag on, and just pulled it round to the front of me whilst on the metro, and held onto it, but I told a man who I saw being pickpocketed, and he got off at the next stop, as his wallet had been nicked.

I met someone who was travelling around europe, who had had her bag cut off of her in Rome, 2 guys on a motorcycle, and stopped her for directions, when another guy came up, and swipped the bag off of her. She also had had her whole backpack stolen in Amsterdam I think she said..... put it down to buy a ticket, had turned around for 2 seconds when someone came up to ask her if she had any change for a 10, and turned back and it had gone!

I also remember reading on here a while ago about people stealing suitcases off of trains.....just getting on and yoinking them cheeky b*ggers!

It is so sad that we all need to be on our guard the entire time..... but it's good to read about these things to hopefully know about these scams, and remember them in the future....

That's one mean looking knife you've got!
Bet you don't get mugged very often!