# World's Top 10 Worst Cities for Pickpockets **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160 "2009-10-09T04:18:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/42 "2011-01-29T00:33:00Z")
Paris I can understand and thought Dublin might have made it as well. Johnny Angels post is really interesting. Before I went I had bought a couple of pairs of jeans- pretty cheap but they fitted okay. However the side pockets (front on the hip) were pretty tight and I had trouble getting my wallet in and out. In the end I thought this was probably a blessing as if I couldn’t remove it without a struggle what chance did a pickpocket have? However the post suggests that a good pickpocket could have taken it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/43 "2011-01-29T00:44:42Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Before I went I had bought a couple of pairs of jeans- pretty cheap but they fitted okay. However the side pockets (front on the hip) were pretty tight and I had trouble getting my wallet in and out. In the end I thought this was probably a blessing as if I couldn’t remove it without a struggle what chance did a pickpocket have? If nothing else, I’ve heard of “razor artists” who can get close to you and cut open your pocket witout your realizing it until they’re long gone. ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/44 "2011-01-29T03:10:21Z")
Kind of surprised that Moscow, Russia didn’t make it on the list, actually… I’ve been to Paris, and it wasn’t half-bad in comparison to Moscow. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/45 "2011-01-29T08:49:31Z")
My cousin was in Rome last year, and a pickpocket attempted to steal from him…picked the wrong guy! The guy had his hands on my cousin’s GF’s bag-when he wheeled around , grabbed the guy by the throat, and smashed his head against the seatback. He then pinned the guy to the floor, and yelled at the bus driver to call the cops. Everybody on the bus cheered. The carabiniere (cop) who came by complemented him. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/46 "2011-01-29T09:21:44Z")
I’ve visited all but Buenos Aires, and my Dad’s visited all of them, and the only time we were pickpocketed was in Istanbul, in a rather nifty distraction move. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/47 "2011-01-29T11:50:06Z")
In Prague, there were warnings everywhere about pickpockets, but I felt completely safe even in the middle of the night. There was also a pretty big police presence on the streets. I’m off to Barcelona soon, so we’ll see how that goes. But I’m sure it will be fine as long as I don’t act in a way that shouts “idiot tourist”. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/48 "2011-01-29T13:28:58Z")
Been to three on each list- never been pickpocketed. I always keep my wallet in an inside pocket though. In places I thought would be higher risk (I actually didn’t feel so vulnerable in most of the European cities, as I have the ‘not a tourist’ walk, people always ask me for directions even if I’ve literally just arrived) like Kuala Lumpur- which isn’t on the list, but had quite a few warnings around, I always kept a small amount of money- say enough for a day’s food, and a bit of shopping, but not enough to ruin the trip if it’s nicked in a pocket, and a skinny money belt with all the rest and my passport/cards in shoved right up under my bra elastic, so it’s totally invisible. That way you can pay for a drink without showing anyone where your ‘real’ money is, you have some cash to hand to throw as a distraction if you get an attempted mugging, and you can refill your pocket when you get somewhere private. As I said though, didn’t get pickpocketed, just got money stolen from a hostel ‘safe’, by the manager… ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/49 "2011-01-29T17:36:56Z")
You mean a hostel ‘UNsafe’! 😃 …ok I’ll stop ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/50 "2011-01-29T17:45:45Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Why is pickpocketing such a Eurocentric offense? Or is the prevalence of European cities on this list just somehow an artifact of the data-gathering? population density + proliferation of tourists = pickpocket haven ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/51 "2011-01-29T18:00:50Z")
n/m ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/52 "2011-01-29T23:38:13Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I knew Barcelona would be up there. What a bloody tip of a place…Is there a particular reason why Barcelona is worse than other big European cities for pickpocketing, mugging etc? Lift Manchester up, plonk it down on the Med, and you’ve pretty much got the whole of Barcelona ready to go. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/53 "2011-01-30T03:35:29Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Annotated list here, but they are: > > 1. Barcelona, Spain > 2. Rome, Italy > 3. Prague, Czech Republic > 4. Madrid, Spain > 5. Paris, France > 6. Florence, Italy > 7. Buenos Aires, Argentina > 8. Amsterdam, Netherlands > 9. Athens, Greece > 10. Hanoi, Vietnam > > We’ll be in Hanoi in a few months. Will have to watch our backs. I’ve been to all the European cities listed (8 out of 10). The only city I have had any problems in was Rome where a kid tried to reach into my purse after I told him to go away. I spanked him. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/54 "2011-01-30T04:26:00Z")
I think that any city with a high concentration of bewildered, over-stimulated tourists is going to have a concentration of pickpockets to match. IMO it is quite foolish to carry a wallet in a pants pocket in these places. Anyone who does so clearly does not understand the environment they are in. I have been to seven of those cities, several more than once, and in my opinion the best pickpockets are in Italy. They are highly, highly skilled. A friend of mine and I sat outside the duomo in Florence and watched them work for about an hour and a half one day, very fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/55 "2011-01-30T11:45:04Z")
My friend had her wallet pickpocketed in Paris. However, the police later recovered her driver’s license and passport so she didn’t have to delay returning home. Coincidence or are the police well-networked so that they don’t have to deal with stranded tourists? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/56 "2011-01-31T21:04:20Z")
Aren’t these the top 10 _best_ cities for pickpockets? It’s sounds like they’re doing quite well. I used to work at a public attraction in Chicago and we would get pickpockets with some regularity (meaning once a month or so one would be reported to us). People get to staring at the attractions and forget to watch their surroundings. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/57 "2011-02-01T00:52:05Z")
I second the query of wondering why it’s all European cities. > [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > population density + proliferation of tourists = pickpocket haven If it was purely a matter of population density and tourist numbers, why isn’t NYC, for instance on the list? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/58 "2011-02-01T02:46:41Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > I second the query of wondering why it’s all European cities. > > If it was purely a matter of population density and tourist numbers, why isn’t NYC, for instance on the list? Or Las Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/59 "2011-02-01T14:44:44Z")
Had cash stolen from a money clip in my front pocket on the metro in Madrid. The train car was packed and I could feel a lot of touching going on. I kept a hand on my pocket (on the outside) so my wallet never left, but the bills were pulled free. My colleague had his entire wallet lifted (from his back pocket (duh)). The theives exited the train, turned and threw him his, now cashless, wallet. At least he retained his credit cards, etc. Polite little bastards. Another anecdote…I believe it was in London (or thereabouts) where authorities placed signs warning tourists that this particular area was a haven for pickpockets. The rate of pickpocketing skyrocketed after the signs were placed. Apparently whenever anyone saw the sign they would immediately check for their wallet or other valuables…thereby pointing out to the piockpocket exactly where he/she should go for the goods. The signs were removed. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/60 "2011-02-01T16:02:37Z")
A former boss of mine once attended a big conference in Barcelona. The major discussion topic each evening was who had been mugged that day. The Secretary General of the organising association had to spend the last days in a wheelchair after having chased a pic-pocket into an alley and over a wall only to discover that there was a deep hole on the other side (which the chasee was aware of and managed to clear). ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160/61 "2011-02-01T18:48:05Z")
I’ve been to four of those cities and never had anyone attempt to pick my pocket (although some guy seriously pinched my @ss in Barcelona :eek:). Perhaps I just look intimidating? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-top-10-worst-cities-for-pickpockets/513160.md?page=4)