I’ve been travelling for just over 5 months in Europe, including some of the world’s major pickpocket hotspots, and I have some thoughts. Of course, I couldn’t help but take a security mindset with me. So what does it look like applying information security principles to physical objects?
I have been lucky as well, but I am sure these steps also played a part in avoiding getting pick-pocketed. I’ll also share some techniques I didn’t use.
If you’re interested in anti-theft, there are companies that have already done the work for you, and you could sort through the best of those. If you’re not interested in looking like a hiker or a business traveller, there’s a bit more research to do.
So what gives a “fashionable” bag anti-theft properties?
when you are wearing the bag, are there any exposed zips? Zips should be hidden between the straps or on the side closest to your body. here are some examples: https://www.tuscanyleather.it/it/zaini-in-pelle/shanghai-zaino-in-pelle-morbida-cognac-tl140963. https://www.tuscanyleather.it/it/borse-a-mano-in-pelle/tl-bag-pochette-in-pelle-verde-tl141990?
if the zips are exposed, how close does someone have to get to you to be able to unzip the bag?
how easy it is to lock the zips? does the zipper head have a slot to put a lock through? I didn’t do this but you may like to be able to on long-distance trains where you have to have your luggage stored in the racks.
can a stranger open your bag while you are wearing it? if they can, how long does it take them to work out how to?
are all opening sealed and water-tight when the bag is fully closed?
Don’t forget that you must also keep the bag physically close to you at all times when outside your accommodation.
In airports, major train stations, tourist hot-spots, restaurants, I would always wear my phone on a leash and my bags on my lap with one leg in a bag strap (get a bag with adjustable length straps).
I also tested how easy it would be to un-clasp the phone leash, but I believe the real danger is in someone using a knife to cut through the leash. If I was considering a replacement I would always compare how easy it was to unclasp the new leash versus my current one, and if it was easier, I would always pass on it. So in crowds the leash is made shorter (get a phone leash with adjustable length leash) to make it more of a hassle to cut. I then place my phone under my shirt with the strap still shortened when I am not using it. You can get phone cases where the strap cannot be unclasped. However, the straps that come with can be easily cut. You may want to replace it with another fabric. Security alone is not enough, though. It is always best to get the leash in a comfortable fabric that is not too heavy, to remove the temptation to not use it. it should not strain your neck when wearing it. A wide strap is better as it puts less pressure on the neck than a thin one. Le BVH Marais sell very fashionable phone straps.
Tote bags are an easy target. Deep ones with small straps are probably less easy to steal from as they have less surface area to dig into. I do not put anything irreplaceable in there. They are for food and to store clothing for when the weather changes.
You could wear a cross-body bag instead of a backpack. They are harder to steal from because typically the contents are always right in front of you. However I liked the distribution of weight of stuff easier on my back with a backpack, so I had to find one that would be more difficult to get into, because some of some of my essential medication is in there.
When in transit, I found it was easier to wrap my day bags in one big bag and hold on tight to the bag-carrying bag. A pickpocket would have to cut the straps, which were very close to my hands, or slash the outermost bag enough that the inner bags would fall out. I did not test how much slashing would be necessary, but I placed the bag with the most important stuff at the top, with my tote bag and grocery bag at the bottom. I bought the big bag in Spain, and it folds nicely very small.
In public places like airports and major train stations, wear your important documents. In Berlin, you can buy utilitarian leather bags at the markets for specifically this purpose. Or you could get a jacket with internal pockets – generally suit jackets and hiking jackets will have these, and wear them zipped up with your documents inside. (And another layer of clothing on top of that jacket).
A tote bag with a prominently exposed zip is very popular in Western Europe, and they always wear it in front of their body. In this case, in close quarters, you always have your hand in front of your bag so it cannot be unzipped.
