Yesterday I went to Paris, a daytrip by plane from Hanover ( Germany). Everything was ok until I realized that my German identity card has disappeared. I%26#39;m quite sure that happened on Metro line 1 at Champs Elysees. There was a crush when a young family entered the train with a stroller. Maybe they were part of the %26#39;theft plan%26#39; or maybe someone else took advantage of this situation. Or maybe it was in the minutes before or after. They got my identity card, 10 Euro and a purse. But they didn%26#39;t got the rest of my money and my credit card .
I informed the French police immediately, phoned the German police and within 2 hrs my ID was in the tracing database of the German police (and I hope therefore within the whole Schengen area).
Conclusion: be prepared and have the useful phone numbers ready.
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hi, Bill.... help us out and tell where the wallet, 10€ and id card were kept at the time they were %26#39;lifted%26#39;. Front pants pocket? Back ? jacket outside pocket or jacket inside pocket? backpack?
thanks...
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The purse was in the side pocket of my trouser and the pocket was closed by a velcro. Normally you hear and feel it when you open the pocket, but I didn%26#39;t noticed anything. Next time I will pack these things into my daypack and hope I won%26#39;t be a victim of a robbery or something like that.
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I was pickpocketed on the #1 line several years ago. It was the stop Lourve Rivoli where the entrance is rather narrow. There were three average looking young men , one with a newspaper. and I did notice them passing the paper back and forth on the train, probably got my wallet out of my purse(standard Coach style shoulder bag) on the way in then passed it among themselves in case I had noticed proximity of one of them! Felt foolish when I stood up and realized my bag was rather light. The young men had of course already exited.
It was my last full day in Paris, I had had a wonderful trip and was feeling a bit too secure. Had both credit cards with me, which I NEVER do, always leave one at hotel, and some cash. My companion had left the day before and was travelling. I needed the cards to pay the hotel bill the next day.
I could do a commercial for American Express. Ran back to the hotel to get my passport and copies of credit cards that I always travel with. Also notified hotel desk who suppled Police station info.
Reported it then ran to Amex ofice by the Opera. They are open late by New York standards but it was getting close to closing time. The young woman was extremely helpful, sensing my panic she said you are going to stay with me until we sort this out, meaning I was not going to be directed to wait in other lines. Within an hour I had a new card! I also got a cash advance of a few francs(at the time). I did have some US dollars at the hotel! Cancellled the VISA by phone but having that Amex office there was wonderful, esp. since it was late in the day and leaving the next. )
Went back to the hotel and decided not to let the experience sour the end of the trip. Went to a cafe for something to eat and must have had a bemused look on my face. Waiter was chatty and when I told him about my experience I got a free glass of champagne and pate! Then a gentleman sitting nearby overheard and invited me to join him for an afterdinner drink. As the choice of club was walking distance from the cafe and to my hotel I took him up on it and we had a lovely time ! A much better ending for my trip!
I didn%26#39;t want to switch cards when Amex sent me a replacement in the States. The one I got in Paris all the writing was of course in French!
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After having a near miss experience in the metro several years ago we are always extremely careful when we are in Paris.
Yesterday we attended a really nice Bastille Day festival in beautiful Santa Barbara Ca. About an hour and a half from our home.
As we were walking back to our car , my husband was carrying our sleeping grandson in his arms. We had to walk single file because of the crowd. I was in front of my husband and my 27 year old son was behind him. Suddenly two young men cut in between my husband and son and one when for my husband%26#39;s camera , the other for his wallett. Unfortunately for them my son is 6%26#39;3 and 200 lbs. They ran off empty handed. thank God.
I have to say Santa Barbara is the last place I would expect to have this happen.
So now I know. It can happen anywhere.
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daypack is not a good idea for %26#39;secure%26#39; wallet etc
two different students in an Italian class I was taking
had their wallets stolen from their daypacks while
they were wearing them in the florence markets (this happened the same day, but the women were not together -- these were two completely separate thefts) neither
felt anyone open their pack and take their wallets and both were well inside and zipped in
I always carry just one credit card and some cash and keep the rest in apartment or in hotel safe or if necessary in a money belt under my clothes
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I would have thought Velcro would have been a sufficient %26#39;warning%26#39; device, too! Some people advise closing with a safety pin.
I don%26#39;t think there is anything foolproof for storing your money where you can get to it in public. Just don%26#39;t carry much (like in bill%26#39;s example) and don%26#39;t keep it all in one spot - spread it around your pockets, whatever...
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Hi,
I live in London and often travel on the tube so maybe I%26#39;m a bit more %26#39;aware%26#39; of what to look out for but I have to say when i went to Paris last summer it felt like the safest city i had stayed in . I found Rome much more scary for some reason as people seemed a bit more suspect on the metro. Just be sensible always leave some cash in your hotel in case you lose your purse and women should take a bag they can wear across their body with it always in front of them which means u will always notice if something happens to it and hold it in your hands on the metro.
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I hate to hear stories like these. I%26#39;ve been fortunate in that I%26#39;ve been incident free in both my trips to Rome and Paris this past year. I%26#39;d agree with what someone else said about Rome being a bit more dodgy. I definitely felt like I had to hold on to my bag a bit tighter while I was there. I did *almost* get pickpocketed by a boy about 10 years old, but I turned around and caught him just as he was about to lay a hand on my backback.
On my trip to Paris, I took this wonderful small (purse size) backpack. What made it great was that not only did it have zippers on the outside, but there was also a large compartment (with smaller, zippered compartments) that could only be accessed from the opposite side of the bag (the side that presses against your back). So, I would keep my money zipped in a small compartment that could only be accessed when I wasn%26#39;t wearing the backpack. Of course, this isn%26#39;t foolproof, but I definitely felt much more secure with it in that spot. I also took the usual precautions of not taking too much cash, leaving copies of credit cards at home, and keeping the passport in the safe at the apartment.
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Look for people with fake arms. I%26#39;ve spotted two pickpockets, one in Rome and one in London. Both had fake arms and jackets. Their real arm is hidden under their jacket, or sweater. They were near Subway and Bus Stops.
The guy in Rome was standing very close to my wife, and she leaned over %26amp; told me that she thought he was acting strange. I looked down and saw his fake arm. He was wearing a jacket and his real arm was hidden under his sweater making him look like he had a belly.
We stepped away and watched him. He stood next to some other people (a little too close), and I said very loudly %26quot;Honey, look at that pickpocket over there. The guy with the fake arm.%26quot;
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We took a suggestion off of someone on this forum. We took a neck pocket wallet, shortened the ties, hooked it to one one our beltloops on our pants, and put it down our pants. Inside were our credit cards, cash, etc. No one could get to it but us. Our pants were loose enough that when we needed to pay for something we just pulled it out, got our credit card or cash, and then put it back down our pants. It was very comforting to be so secure.
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