Safety in busy tourist places - any tips?

[MabelMarple]

I admit I'm a bit of a country bumpkin and not used to watching out for thieves in every day life. I haven't been to London in 30 years so I'm not used to worrying about someone snatching my phone or bag.
However I'm not entirely stupid and do travel a bit. I've been to places like Barcelona and Paris where you are alert for security but mostly it's just holiday resorts.
DH had his wallet stolen last year in Mallorca. It was in a zipped pocket and we were at a festival. He realised quickly and was able to cancel his cards within 20 minutes. Nothing was taken from them but the €50 cash was lost of course.
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A friend has just been robbed in Lanzarote. Broad daylight, took her purse out of a bag.
It's so depressing to have to be on guard when on holiday.

DH has now got a body belt / bag and I've got a cross body bag with clips on the zips. I will only take a bit of cash at a time out with me and a card if planning a bigger purchase or a meal.

You just have to be mindful, but I don’t walk around London assuming that everyone is a thief. For instance, don’t walk around with your phone in your hand.

My only tip is to make sure your valuables are secure and non visible.

My winning tip is to look a bit scruffy, have a 25 year old rucksack on the verge of falling apart and an old phone with a cracked screen in a case covered with paint.

Works a dream IME 😉

A bag worn cross-body with a sturdy strap, zips and a flap over the top is fairly useful, as is a pp's suggestion about not wandering about with your phone casually in your hand.

Never put your phone down on a table in a cafe - it is easily snatched, and don't hang your bag on the back of a chair. Have it on your lap or between your feet and keep hold of the strap.

Wear shoes you can run in.

If you have cards and cash, don't keep them both in the same wallet/purse, put some of the cash into a deep pocket in the bag. Don't keep wallet/phone/money in your back pocket.

Keep your wits about you in shops and if someone is standing too close beside you, be aware of it.

If you have a bag have the zip facing in front of you not away. Be extra vigilant in carnivals concerts festivals as thieves will target there. If necessary stuff money down cleavage as a friend used to do.

A cross body bag is a must. I have a 'travel handbag' which sits flat on my body and is big enough for a phone and money but not a lot else. But I wear it under my coat.

I leave my passports and extra funds in the safe in the hotel.

But yes, be mindful. I am going to Paris in April again, and I make sure not to walk around on my phone, and I keep my handbag close to my body at all times.

Keep your phone tucked away and be mindful of where you check it and have a securely fastened bag. I've lived in London, working centrally all my life and had a purse taken from my bag in the 90s, which wasn't securely done up. You'll almost certainly be fine if you do that.

Yes losing a phone would be far more consequential than losing cards or cash.
I normally make my own bags, a bit hippyish with lots of hidden pockets but only fabric. I've bought a cross body bag instead for holidays

Also have some small change and low denomination notes handy in your pocket or outside bag compartment so you're not getting your purse/wallet out to pay for every coffee or ice cream.

However, some of our most recent trips have been to places that are now pretty cashless, so you do need to get your phone or cards out!

Make sure your phone is locked and notifications don't appear on the lock screen as thieves can bypass two step security that way apparently.

@onelumporthree makes a good point about cafes. Keep your bag I. Front of you, don’t just leave it on the ground. I remember reading a while back that there was a spate of thefts from one particular courtyard cafe, as people overlooked this risk.

I think the risk of encountering a pickpocket in London is far lower than some people might think (though of course far higher than in many other places), so I wouldn't stress about it excessively. I'd generally keep valuables in inside jacket pockets though.

Don't be glued to your phone - not only for the obvious reason of not having out in your hand but if you are head down, following the arrow, you are not alert to your surroundings and you don't LOOK alert to your surroundings.

Memorise the roads to turn left and right into, and walk purposefully and look alert. Look further ahead on the pavement and road etc.

Have your phone on a lanyard case for photos and then tuck it back inside your jacket or top.

Never put your bag on the chair or under the table. Keep it on your lap, or if the table has a hook underneath right on front of you, that's OK.

Don't put valuables in the zip compartments of rucksacks.

I live in London, have done so for 50 years and honestly, never had any bother. These habits become second nature and I move around without worry.

Agree with pp . To clarify, this is the only incident I've ever had, the risk is very low if you take sensible precautions

I used a small cross body bag with a short strap so it tucks pretty much into my armpit - under a coat if I can because otherwise I look like a plonker, but it's enough for cash/card/phone/key. Actually it's a re-purposed bum bag 😂

I have one of these - https://www.currys.co.uk/products/goji-gpnlpk25-universal-crossbody-phone-strap-pink-10257514.html

Absolutely brilliant for attaching your phone to you & still pops in your pocket

I'll curse myself now but i live in London and have been to NYC, Paris, Barcelona multiple times as well as some sketchy parts of Perpignan and Marseille and have never been pick pocketed.

Be aware of your surroundings, wear a decent cross body bag with a zip, don't get your phone or purse out in the street, move away from anyone who seems to want to stand or sit too close, don't engage with any beggars, street performers or people trying to sell you stuff on the move. You'll be fine.

I think big city living does give you a sixth sense for this sort of stuff though.

I'm going somewhere hot so won't have a coat but fortunately I am too old to care if I look like a plonker.
@LostThestral that looks handy. I might get that.

I use one of these for my phone everywhere I go, home and away. Attach phone one end and clip to zip hole inside (cross body) bag at the other end. Phone stays in bag and can be stretched out to do anything, photo, apple pay, the usual. It cannot be stolen and it won't fall out of your hand onto the floor either. So cheap and so bloody effective!

www.amazon.co.uk/PCS-Stretchy-Spiral-Key-Chain/dp/B0FNR9BSV9/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?sr=8-1-spons&aref=fL2MVDT4uC&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

How does it attach to a phone @damsela ?

If you look at the picture on this lanyard, you'll see a squarish patch in the phone case. That has a hole in it to attach the lanyard/spring chain. They can be bought anywhere but you need a flat phone case to clamp it in position IYSWIM.

Someone else might be able to explain it better than me, but it's very simple.

https://www.amazon.ie/Lanyard-Crossbody-Shoulder-Smartphones-Free-Keyring/dp/B0C2HMQLNQ/ref=asc_df_B0C2HMQLNQ?mcid=6c57b042e31935cab46b5106ab4a3078&hvadid=743311033422&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10571978008345887953&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9192439&hvtargid=pla-2195477407891&language=en_IE

You are very much overthinking this.

I’ve been to London many times and never once worried about phone snatching.

pickpockets etc exist everywhere. You just have to be mindful - keep a bag in front of you, not to the back, etc.

I have happily walked around many areas with £1,500 of camera equipment on my person and practically on display and never felt unsafe at all

It's not how others feel though, is it? It's about what makes another person feel secure, and if that involves a few simple measures that are basic common sense precautions, why the heck not?

My son travelled following uni.
He was at a ATM in Africa and felt the three men behind him were loud and getting to close to him. He withdrew his card and went inside the bank thinking this would be safe.
They had cloned his card and withdrew a significant amount of money.
Luckily the bank reimbursed him on his return home.
On a positive I left my bank card in a ATM in Bangkok and a local ran after me to return.
I never carry much money when abroad just use a bank card with doesn’t charge for transactions and use a cross body bag keeping it close and away from the road side.

That's a great idea. How does that attach to your phone? It doesn't look obvious to me.