Updated July 13, 2024
Lurking under the surface of some of the world’s most beautiful cities are hordes of pickpockets preying on unsuspecting, unprepared, and distracted visitors. Pickpockets and other street thieves are proficient at what they do. They’re a curse to travellers, but they can be thwarted with some basic anti-pickpocket gear.
Identifying appropriate anti-pickpocket gear should be part of a packing strategy for most trips.
Table of Contents
- Other benefits of anti-pickpocket gear
- A comprehensive assortment of anti-pickpocket gear
- 1. Outerwear with zippered internal pockets
- 2. Other clothing with pockets
- 3. Engineered pockets
- 4. Underwear with pockets
- 5. Socks with a zippered pocket
- 6. Scarves with hidden pockets
- 7. Bracelet wallet
- 8. Wristband wallet
- 9. Wearable security wallets
- 10. Other wallets
- 11. Security belt
- 12. Securing luggage
- 13. Securing a day bag
- 14. Packing organizers with attachment points
- 15. Packable travel purse
- Other anti-pickpocket gear
- Emergency cash stash
Other benefits of anti-pickpocket gear
- The right gear lessens the chance of losing something because of disorganization, carelessness, or neglect.
- It presents different options for splitting up cash, financial cards, and identity documents. When these are in separate places, your risks and losses are minimized of you’re robbed.
- Anti-pickpocket clothing can help avoid baggage fees. What you wear doesn’t count against your baggage allowance. It’s surprising how much can be carried in clothing with pockets. In outerwear with pockets, I’ve stowed 1.4 kg / 3.1 lb of stuff. It’s not a huge amount but when travelling on airlines with a 7-kg or 8-kg carry-on allowance, it can mean the difference between going carry-on and having to check a bag.
A comprehensive assortment of anti-pickpocket gear
What’s in your anti-pocket inventory? Most items in my collection of commercially produced and handmade products have one thing in common — at least two steps are required to access my belongings. It’s less convenient for me, but it’s more difficult for experienced pickpockets who view open bags or single zippers as easy terrain and rely on stealth and speed to make a hasty retreat.
Having a variety of anti-pickpocket gear means a traveller can be selective when choosing what might work best given the season, destination, and nature of the trip.
Might some of the following suggestions work for you? Or, perhaps they’ll inspire other ideas or adaptations that are consistent with your packing regimen, travel wardrobe, and travel habits.
1. Outerwear with zippered internal pockets
SCOTTeVEST is well known for its range of clothing with pockets. Some items boast as many as 43 pockets — some designed for keys, sunglasses, passport, tablet, phone, pen, and a water bottle. Most pockets are on the inside, with zippers, useful as anti-pickpocket gear. I have a 14-pocket Chloe Hoodie, and a 20-pocket lightweight travel vest.
Brooklyn-based company Clothing Arts makes a variety of anti-pickpocket gear. I adore my Cubed Travel Jacket that’s ideal for three-season travel. It boasts eight internal pockets that are perfect for stowing a lot of gear when going carryon or exploring a destination.
2. Other clothing with pockets
(i) Yoga shorts
(ii) Skort
3. Engineered pockets
Inserted pockets, and adaptations to existing pockets, can transform existing travel clothing into effective anti-pickpocket gear.
(i) Pocket clips, pouches, and tethers
Place a tether tab inside a phone case and attach a retractable coil leash. The wallet phone case from Smartish has a secure pocket for cash and a few cards, and the Cocases phone tether tab with an adhesive backing stays in place when fixed to the inside of the case. A retractable coil with a lobster clasp at each end allows for easy access to a phone while remaining attached to the pocket. The leash comes in two different lengths.
(ii) Added pockets
Zippered pockets have been inserted under the waistband of my favourite Not Your Daughter’s Jeans’ capris and jeans. In the upper corner of each pocket is a small D-ring held in place with sewing tape.
Some of my trips involve cycling. That’s when my three-quarter cycling knicks might earn a place on my packing list. Two internal credit-card sized pockets in the back of my cycling pants accommodate a financial card and cash in a small zip-top craft baggie. Each pocket has a flap for enhanced security.
For women, tights and leggings are perfect for packing light travel. They’re comfortable, lightweight, and versatile. They can be dressed up or down, used as loungewear, sleepwear, exercise gear, or for an extra layer of warmth when the temperature drops. A credit-card-sized pocket added to the inside waistband of tights expands options for separating financial cards or not carrying a purse.
(iii) Pouch on a leash
Lululemon leggings have a permanent place on my packing list. The Fast and Free have five waistband pockets and two side drop-in pockets. The Pace Rival Crop have five pockets: three on the waistband and two on the thighs. The zippered pocket in the back of the waistband is particularly useful. Under a long shirt or tunic, it’s hidden from view but not inaccessible to a pickpocket. For added security, a silk pouch on a leash has been attached to the lining of the pocket.
These engineered pockets haven’t failed me yet. I can’t imagine a skilled pickpocket making off with my belongings without my knowledge. This isn’t to say I can let my guard down or underestimate how skillful some pickpockets are. What I can count on is that there are plenty of easier targets to attract a pickpocket’s attention.
4. Underwear with pockets
There’s a variety of underwear with pockets on the market. I’ve worn four types and prefer the designs from Clever Travel Companion and H&R:
- Clever Travel Companion’s Women’s Cotton Underwear with Secret Pockets
- H&R Underwear with Secret Pockets
Both have two zippered pockets, in front under the waistband. They’re very comfortable, and versatile enough to wear as loungewear after a long travel day. They’re also soft enough to wear as sleepwear. This is handy for sleeping with valuables on a sleeper bus, overnight train, or in communal accommodation. Of the two, I prefer H&R (black ones in the picture). They’re much cheaper, lighter (73 g / 2.6 oz compared to 90 g / 3.2 oz), and dry faster. They’re longer by 2 in / 5 cm and as such, I’ve worn them as shorts. The pockets are a little wider so a passport slides in easier than it does in a Clever Travel Companion pocket.
I haven’t tried one, but The Travel Bra makes several different types of travel bras. The quick-dry Ultra-Light Travel Bra with pockets has five, including one drop-down mesh pocket large enough to accommodate a passport.
5. Socks with a zippered pocket
My Zip It Everyday Travel Socks with a hidden zippered pocketare very comfortable. Each pair has one pocket that’s large enough to carry emergency cash and financial cards. The pocket is high enough that the contents don’t come in contact with the ankle joint or interfere with the movement of my foot. The elasticized band is effective at keeping things in place. The pocket feels just as comfortable on the inside of my leg as it does on the outside.
The pocket has a nylon zipper that won’t set off security systems. The socks’ quick-drying properties mean that I can wash them in the evening and they’re dry by morning. Zip It Gear advertises a couple of technical benefits: a holofibre footbed that may reduce swelling, and ComFortrel XP that wicks away moisture to keep feet cool and dry.
Scarves with pockets are triple-duty accessories. They provide warmth, dress up an outfit, and protect valuables. I have a rectangular scarf with a hidden pocket but it doesn’t feel as secure as my two infinity scarves. An infinity scarf consists of one long circular loop, usually wrapped twice around the neck.
Both of my infinity scarves have hidden pockets that are large enough to accommodate a passport. However, I find the pockets work better for carrying a financial card and some cash.
Two layers of fabric wrapped twice around the neck translate into four layers, with another two layers at the position of the pocket. While a scarf may be advertised as lightweight, my experience is that a scarf with so many layers of fabric is comfortable for temperatures that don’t exceed 20 or so degrees Celsius.
The reversible scarf from Etsy worked perfectly for an autumn trip to New York. With so many Etsy sellers advertising such a rich array of colours, it’s not difficult to find something compatible with your travel wardrobe.
7. Bracelet wallet
My bracelet wallet dresses up an outfit. It’s light, classy, and functional. The pocket sits on the back of the wrist, blending into the design. As such, it’s mostly hidden from sight. The pocket accommodates a credit card, hotel room card key, and emergency money. I bought it from Etsy seller HelgaRachinskaya.
8. Wristband wallet
My Sprigs Banjees Wrist Wallet has two pockets, one with a hood and one with a zipper. The hooded pocket can accommodate a phone but I find it’s a ‘stretch’ to fit a larger phone. The pocket boasts a reinforced hole through which to thread headphone wires. The zippered pocket is perfect for a financial card, cash, and keys. The lightweight fabric makes it very comfortable to wear.
9. Wearable security wallets
Love ‘em or hate ‘em. Wearable security wallets tend to sit close to the skin. This can be an aggravation for many travellers, especially in warm climates. The secret to travelling with security wallets is not to treat them as a purse or wallet. Treat them as a walking safe, accessed in private if and when necessary.
(i) Waist wallet
A security waist wallet is my preferred under-clothing security wallet. It feels more comfortable and more secure than those designed to be worn around the leg, neck, or shoulder.
My favourite is the PacSafe RFID Safe 100, an RFID-blocking travel waist wallet. It has a moisture-proof liner and breathable backing with anti-odour treatment. A handy internal pocket snugly accommodates a financial card. One of the wallet’s best features is that each one of the two zippers has a snap-shut lock that takes a little effort to open. My first purchase was one in grey but it developed a soiled and grimy look after several years of use. I now have one in black.
This type of waist wallet sits comfortably in the small of the back, out of sight under a shirt, tucked under a waistband. Most of the time, I’m unaware of its existence. This wasn’t the case with a neck wallet purchased for a winter trip to Rome several years ago. It was adequate for that trip tucked under layers of winter clothing. But, for travel to warmer climates, the neck string was exposed, it was uncomfortable against my neck, and was visible under summer clothing.
(ii) Leg wallet
I tried a leg wallet with Velcro straps but it didn’t feel as secure as a waist wallet. If you have a similar concern and want to experiment with leg wallets, check out the En Route Leg Wallet. It’s a stretchy band that pulls over a foot like a sock. Or, have one handmade to fit around the calf or thigh. This type of security wallet might be ideal for the traveller who feels uncomfortable wearing a waist wallet.
(iii) PortaPocket
PortaPocket has a selection of bands and portable pockets of different sizes that can be worn around the waist, arm, or leg. Some attach using Velcro, but I feel more secure wearing those with belt-loop style mountings.
10. Other wallets
There’s a good chance a wallet that can be attached to the inside of clothing out of sight is out of reach of pickpockets. Especially if it has an attachment point to pin or clip it to clothing or hardware sewn into a pocket or purse.
My favourite is the FurArt Slim Minimalist Wallet with several attractive features. Its RFID-blocking capabilities protect identity and financial cards, and two of the six card slots each has a finger groove for pushing cards out easily. Two of the slots are side pockets, ideal for banknotes. A feature rarely found in a wallet is a D-ring for tethering the wallet to an attachment point in a purse or pocket. It measures 8 x 11.7 x 0.6 cm (3.15 x 4.6 x 0.25 in) and weighs 31 g (1.1 oz).
One of the best features of the Lewis N Clark Clip Stash is that it can be attached to a waistband or sock and worn inside clothing, hidden from view. Or it could be clipped to an inside pocket of a bag to prevent it from roaming free and being difficult to find. The zippered pocket secures what’s placed inside, and the RFID-blocking capabilities protect identity and financial cards from electronic pickpocketing. The plastic clip is 5 cm (2 in) long and relatively sturdy. An adaptation can be made by attaching a small key ring to the zipper pull and tethering the Clip Stash to an attachment point inside a pocket or purse. It’s made of a nylon TravelDry fabric and weighs 20 g (0.7 oz).
11. Security belt
A long zippered pocket on the inside of a security belt can keep cash secure. Mine has a plastic buckle that doesn’t trigger security alarms, and a long 18-inch zipper. It’s versatile enough to wear with trousers, shorts, and skorts. Most belts on the market are black, brown, grey, or camouflage. The Canadian company Silverfoot produces belts and other travel accessories in a variety of vibrant colours and designs. At Silverfoot, you’re bound to find something compatible with the dominant colours of your capsule wardrobe. And because it doesn’t look like all the other security belts on the market, it’s less likely to attract the attention of street thieves. It can be used to carry emergency or surplus cash, folded along the length to create six panels.
12. Securing luggage
Pickpockets prowl airports, transportation hubs, and connecting transit for newly arrived or soon-to-depart travellers. Most people can’t carry all their valuables on their person, making an unsecured bag a tantalizing target.
(i) Triple Combination Lock
A padlock can be an effective deterrent. My favourite is a triple cable combination lock. The shorter cable connects the two sets of interlocking zippers of my standard carry on. The longer cable connects the zippers to the carrying handle or a stationary object. I can remove the longer cable when it’s not needed. Another attractive feature of my cable lock is that to date, it has fit all lockers I’ve encountered. An advantage of a combination lock is that there’s no key to worry about losing.
(ii) Lock and cable
A lightweight cable used to be a discretionary item, but it now accompanies me on every trip. The turning point was when a flight from San Francisco to Halifax via Newark became a San Francisco – Houston – Toronto – Halifax diversion. That was when spending six overnight hours in the Houston airport became a simpler alternative to finding a hotel. How does one keep carry-on bags secure while nodding off? Attach a cable and lock to a belt, belt loop, and/or a fixed object. My lightweight metre-long cable is part of the Eagle Creek 3-dial TSA Lock and Cable set.
Another option is a retractable cable. The Pacsafe Retractable Cable Lock is easier to pack as it takes up less space and weighs the same as the Eagle Creek lock and cable combined (48 g / 1.7 oz). A lock and cable are handy for attaching a locked bag to a fixed object on a train or in a hotel or hostel.
(iii) Bag cover
Some bags have an integrated rain cover. If not, there are plenty of covers on the market that fit bags within a certain size range. For example, my Osprey Ultralight Raincover (medium) fits bags within the 30 to 40-litre range. It has a drawstring that cinches around and under the bag for a snug fit, offering protection against wet and dusty conditions. An added advantage is that it offers a barrier to pickpockets.
13. Securing a day bag
(i) External security
Several years ago, I bought the very comfortable and functional personal carry-on/daypack: Tom Bihn Synapse 19. Today, I tend to travel with a packable daypack that can nest inside my main carry-on bag when I don’t want to deal with two bags. My favourite is the Osprey Ultralight Dry Stuff Pack.
Unfortunately, neither bag locks. However, adjacent zipper pulls can be joined with S-biner clips, stainless steel wire keychain cables, twist ties, safety pins, or a small lock.
My Hi-Vis Osprey Raincover offers a measure of protection from the prying fingers of pickpockets. This is an option on crowded public transportation or city streets where pickpockets are active. The XS size fits packs in the 10- to 20-litre range.
(ii) Internal security
One of the many attractive features of the Synapse 19 (and other Tom Bihn bags) is the internal bag hardware: an O-ring in each of the five compartments.
Is it possible to attach plastic O-rings or D-rings to the internal seams of an existing bag with sewing tape? This adds an additional layer of security for tethering pouches containing more valuable items.
14. Packing organizers with attachment points
Tom Bihn and Eagle Creek produce pouches with swivel clips. Travelon makes a set of packing envelopes with a small fabric loop on the side of each one. Other packing organizers have zipper pulls, hanging loops, carrying handles, key rings, carabiners, grommets, or drawstring. These all represent attachment points for tethering the organizer to something else.
Or check out Etsy for handmade packing organizers. Ask if it’s possible to have a built-in O-ring or cord for tethering to internal bag hardware.
One of my favourite commercially produced tethering tools is the key strap from Tom Bihn. One version has swivel clips at both ends. The other version has a swivel clip at one end and an O-ring at the other. Both versions come in two lengths: 8 in / 20 cm or 16 in / 40 cm. My handmade tethering straps are 6 in / 15 cm long with swivel clips at both ends. All are useful for attaching to internal bag hardware such as O-rings, D-rings, and key clips.
My new favourite tethering tool is a retractable coil with a lobster clasp at each end. The lobster clasp isn’t easy to release quickly so it’s more difficult for a pickpocket to be successful.
To access my belongings, a pickpocket would need to negotiate the hardware joining the zipper pulls. S/he would then need to open the zipper of the respective compartment. Then, s/he’d need to open a second zipper of the pouch or unclip the swivel clip attaching the pouch to the O-ring. I like to think this kind of obstacle course is a suitable deterrent to someone who needs to move quickly.
The other advantage of tethered packing organizers is that I don’t need to rummage through the cavernous expanse of the main compartment of my daypack to find what I need. It’s much easier and faster to put my hands on the respective pouch, usually by touch.
15. Packable travel purse
My favourite type of travel purse is one that can be worn from door to door, removed only at security screening when it can be packed out of sight inside another bag. My handmade version has served me well for many years but for my last trip (to Africa), I took the Tom Bihn Side Kick that’s lightweight, packable, has several internal compartments, and five plastic O-rings for securing more valuable items.
Everything of value was tethered to an O-ring. We were advised that phones are coveted by thieves in South Africa so I purchased a longer (8 in / 20 cm Patikil-brand coiled keychain) for my phone that I could use without removing the retractable coil. When tethered to a corner O-ring, it was a simple matter of closing the zipper to conceal the contents of the purse from view when quickly consulting Google Maps or booking an Uber.
Other anti-pickpocket gear
16. ‘Bra Bank’
Reader Marti Goldring described her ‘bra bank’ in a comment on an earlier version of this post. She graciously agreed to provide more details for this update.
Marti fashioned a leash for her Eagle Creek Silk Undercover Bra Stash. A loop at one end rests under the snap enclosure of the bra stash pocket, and the other end attaches to a bra strap. The pocket fits comfortably inside her sports bra between her breasts. It’s a perfect resting place hidden from sight. The extra security provided by the leash means that Marti can rest assured the pocket can’t come loose and fall without her knowledge.
Pacsafe makes a bra pouch in a soft lingerie fabric with an adjustable strap for attaching to the centre or side of a bra.It can hold up to six financial cards, a key, and some cash.
17. Other clothing and accessories with pockets
Headwear with built-in zippered pockets, especially those that are hidden from view, might offer another option. There are caps with inside pockets. A scrunchie with a zippered pocket might be of interest to someone with long hair.
A scarf camera strap with a zippered pocket may be more comfortable than a regular camera strap and perform double duty for storing a phone, cash, and extra memory card.
18. Anti-theft bag
If an anti-theft backpack, travel bag, tote, or purse holds any appeal, there are plenty on the market. Designed for travel, these bags have features such as cut-proof, steel-cable-reinforced shoulder straps, slash-proof fabric, RFID-blocking pockets, and locking zippers.
This was the situation for LeeAnna Pekel, a member of the Facebook group Girls Love Travel. LeeAnna purchased a Pacsafe CitySafe 200 for a trip to Paris. Here is her story, reproduced with permission:
“I’d read lots of posts on Girls Love Travel describing thefts from purses and pockets. I realize this happens to travelers, but I was naive in thinking ‘That’ll never happen to me.’ Luckily, I work with some amazing women, including an older woman named Suzy. Suzy has traveled the world and is never short of a story to share. When I told her I was taking my mom to Paris for the holidays, she started sharing pickpocket stories. She’s 65 years old so she had a lot of them. Her advice was to buy a purse produced by a company called Pacsafe. I researched my options, thinking it sounded like a good, but needless idea. I bought two — one for me, and one for my mom.
Fast forward to this morning. My mom and I got up bright and early at 5:30 am to go on a day-long tour outside of Paris. We stopped at the bank near our Airbnb apartment in Montmartre to withdraw some cash. I checked for cameras or a card reader, saw nothing and went ahead. While doing so, a woman walked into the ATM area, stood off to the side and looked out the window. She was watching me via the reflection. Thinking she wanted my PIN and didn’t get it, we left.
On the subway, a man who appeared to be homeless came up to us and started begging. He even touched me when I ignored him. I told him not to touch me but he kept hounding me. We ended up moving away out of fear. As we got off the subway, two younger men followed us. My mother, being older, was slower on the stairs and the men surrounded her — one in front and one in back. When I stopped, they walked past me and started speaking in rapid fire French. “Did you see that bag?” “I’ve never seen anything like it before!” “It’s impossible to do!”
Listening to Suzy and buying this bag saved us from a tag team of at least four pickpockets in Paris this morning. I highly recommend Pacsafe. They also have backpacks!”
Baggalini, Pacsafe and Travelon make a variety of anti-theft bags.
Emergency cash stash
An emergency cash stash is for those occasions when you most need to put your hands on some cash. It’s based on a divide-and-conquer approach that results in never keeping travel cash (and financial cards) in one place. Doing so puts a traveller at a huge risk.
Creative suggestions abound. Most of them offer a host of options on how to hide cash from the prying fingers of pickpockets. Here are a some examples:
- Place cash in a small zip-top baggie and insert it under the insole of your shoe. Or, place cash in a small pouch and pin it to the inside of a sock or the seam of trousers. Slip it into a slit in the hem or waistband of trousers.
- Create a ‘pocket’ from a sock or pantyhose that can be attached to the inside of clothing with a safety pin.
- Attach a canister (CashStash) on a key ring to internal bag hardware.
- My handmade packing folder has a secret pocket in the base, hidden underneath a stack of clothes.
- Create a DIY diversion safe by hiding cash in empty containers (e.g., dental floss, deodorant, lip balm, prescription bottle).
- Check out commercial diversion safes. For example, there are plastic containers resembling lipstick, sunscreen diversion safes, and a Mennen Speed Stick with fake deodorant on top on the safe. A USB charger diversion safe could be stored in an electronics kit.
- Might a water bottle with a hidden compartment be of interest?
- Use duct tape (matching the internal colour of your bag) to tape a zip-top baggie containing cash to the base of the inside of your bag.
- Tape a zip-top baggie with cash to the inside back cover of a small notebook or diary, or inside a first aid kit or comfort pack.
- Use a phone cover with a slot to hide emergency money and/or a back-up financial card.
- Insert cash in a slit in a sanitary napkin, or in a box of tampons or panty liners.
For further inspiration, check out Clever Ways to Keep your Travel Cash Safe and 10 Ways to Hide Money when Traveling. Or take a look at YouTube for ideas.
Once you’ve perfected your strategy, remember where you stashed your cash. For each place, choose a single undamaged note in a currency and denomination that will be easy to change. Protect notes with a zip-top craft bag or cling wrap if they’re likely to come in contact with tape, perspiration, moisture, or residue from the original product of a repurposed container.
If you found this post useful, please share it by selecting one or more social media channels by clicking on the respective button(s). You might also like Tips on protection from pickpockets and For inspiration, shop Etsy for unique travel products.
I’m interested in what anti-pickpocket gear you use. What has worked for you? Please add your thoughts in the comments. Thank you.
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Great tips! I have security pouch, too. It is not very stylish but I admit is useful. I am going to spend one week in London. I put separately my credit card and my ATM card. Just in case.. Best regards!
These are very helpful suggestions for travelers to stay safe . My friend was almost a victim of pocket picking but he had his wallet on his belt . I have to try out the bra bank when I remember to wear a bra lol . I also love hiding money in unpredictable places .
Hi Ann,
These are very practical tips! I’ll be traveling solo in South America for 10 months next year and I’ll certainly make use of many of the recommendations in this post.
Happy travels!
Dominique
Thanks for dropping by, Dominique. I love your site, and look forward to more posts. It was only after checking out your About page before leaving, did I realize Jacqueline might be your mom. Is that right? Safe travels.
Anne Betts recently posted…How to make a traveller’s emergency contact card
Hi Anne, I’m so happy I found your blog! I have been binge reading it and I’m learning so much!
Like you, I am an avid cyclist and often travel solo, so I am always looking for redundant systems in case of emergency. I want to share something that I learned along the way. I have something that I call my “bra bank.” I have a satin pocket – the size of a credit card – with a snap closure. Mine is similar to the Eagle Creek Silk Undercover Bra Stash. My seamstress friend made a short elastic “leash” with and I slide the satin pocket on the elastic and attach the leash to my bra strap. Then I slip the pocket inside my sports bra between my breasts. There is a perfect little resting space for it in the center. It is comfortable to wear there, feels secure, and doesn’t show. If my primary ATM or credit card is stolen or damaged, I have back ups from a different financial institution “on hand.” 🙂
Keep blogging. You are fabulous!
Thank you Marti for dropping by, and leaving such a useful comment. I have the Eagle Creek Silk Undercover Bra Stash, and I’m keen to try your suggestion of a leash for the additional security it provides. Thanks again.
Anne Betts recently posted…Packing list for a safari in Southern Africa
Thank you for this thorough and informative guide! I was very apprehensive about my upcoming trip to India and now I am at ease shopping for a vest ^_^
This is such an awesome post and very helpful. I really don’t like to worry about anything when I’m travelling and worrying about money is the last thing I want to do. Thanks for this awesome tips.
These are very helpful tips for anybody traveling abroad! Thanks for sharing! During the time of my travelling, i have had the habit of keeping anything valuable within 2 layers of protection. Like you keep your wallet in pocket of your back pack that was zipped inside another pocket that was also zipped… i hope that makes sense haha! https://qompanion.my/articles/items-stolen-from-travellers-on-holiday i also found this article when i was looking for information about this issue, hopefully it’s relevant!
Great tips. After catching a pickpocket with his hand in my pocket on the Brussels metro, I always take precautions. I like the D ring inside a pocket idea. To save sewing, I use a nappy safety pin and mini carabiniers with (military strength) parachute cord in dark colours as a tether, cut to required length with heat sealed cut ends. These can also be discretely looped around trouser belts or belt loops. Washing tablet drawstring mesh bags containing cash and cards can be hung inside trousers, again from a belt or safety pin inside your waistband.
UK brands Craghoppers and Rohan make brilliant travel clothes with hidden zippered pockets.
Mobile phones can be protected with locking/SIM change blocking software that sends SMS / email alerts with location, snapshot of user and remote erase functions.
This is so so helpful! Thank you for the share, I’ll definitely be using some of these tactics on our next trip to Barcelona!
These are all great ideas to prevent being pickpocketed. There are a few times during my travels where I was concerned about this very thing. I just kept my money in my bra and left everything else at home. These gear items would have been a good alternative!
Thankfully I’ve never been targeted by pickpockets or lost anything that way. I love all these recommendations to stop pickpockets! I’d never heard of zippered socks before but that’s so clever!
Wow! Nobody is going to be picking your pockets, that’s for sure! I consider myself a pretty wary traveler, but I still got my wallet stolen on the train from the airport to my hotel in Barcelona. I definitely wouldn’t have lost that wallet with all of these tips. Especially the socks! I had no idea there were socks with pockets and I’m a sock connoisseur! Thank you for these tips.
So many great suggestions! It is always good to be prepared and save yourself the heartache that comes with being a target. I love the Bra Bank idea. That is so brilliant! So many great ideas for our next trip — thank you!
Deb recently posted…The Ultimate Guide To Family Friendly Hikes Near Vancouver
I’m super fortunate that I’ve never been targeted by pickpockets on my travels, but I’m always very cautious when I’m out and about. I love these tools to prevent theft. Who knew you could get socks and underwear with pockets??? I love the idea of pouches on clips and leashes too. I’ll definitely pick up some of these tools before my next trip. Thanks for the great guide!
So many pockets!!! And so many genius ways to fool pickpockets. Unfortunately I’ve been pickpocketed before and it’s not fun, especially on the first day of vacation as it forever leaves you with a sour taste about that place. I’ve been meaning to get one of those scarves! I am someone who always hides money when I travel, my emergency stash. I usually hide in the pages of books because I figure no-one will steal my boring holiday novel
These are such great tips to prevent pick pockets! Thank you!
These are all great ideas I hadn’t thought of before! I really like the pockets in the underwear idea!
Absolutely lovin’ the bra bank! Nothing’s gonna get picked unnoticed with this one 😅 I’d say that’s probably the best of the lot!
I only use a security pouch and always have my rain cover on my backpack but you have some amazing tips! Thank you 🙂
This is such a complete list of products. Amazing. Many years ago when traveling in Italy with another couple, they both were attacked on separate days. By luck, we were not, but I certainly invested in a few anti-pickpocket products that I still use.
This is so clever! We should always have something to deter pick-pocketers. Most will not be “hunting” for a victim, but just acting if they see the opportunity, like a phone being carried in the pants’ back pocket. I also love the advice on keeping an emergency stash somewhere unusual. Not even if the robber has all the time in the world to look for money, they’ll look in a deodorant case 🙂
Clever stuff! Thanks for sharing these. Will look into buying if I can find in the region where I live.
Anne, it is a quality blog. I travel a lot more, and this blog is complete. You write for me just like something advising your loved one.
To consider in hidden pocket clothing, I recently saw Tuck Top multi-pocket t-shirts at a local craft fair. I bought one and it is very comfortable. I’m looking forward to using it for travel. They are online at TuckTop.ca.
I found about them from your reply and bought one. I wore it at work with my pocketless pants, and they were perfect! Can’t wait to take it on my next trip. It’s very comfortable (though snug).
As a man, I tend to travel lighter – and as prior military personnel (who essentially lived out of his duffel bag for six years,) I can travel very light, indeed. (I went to New Zealand for a month completely with carry-on – one laptop bag and a medium backpack.)
One habit I stuck with after I got out was to wear BDU pants – the hip and thigh pockets have button flaps. If I don’t put my wallet in my left front pocket (in my left hand, for high-risk areas,) I keep it in my left hip pocket, with the flap buttoned. And I keep a dummy wallet in my right pocket, also buttoned in, just to confuse pickpockets. The loose fit of the BDUs and the internal bag pockets (as opposed to the patch pockets on blue jeans) help to conceal the contours of the wallet(s) anyhow.
That’s not necessarily 100%, but paying close attention to the signals of your body and your intuition will often pay off. In Chicago on the El, the car was filing up, I stood up to give an old man my seat (before I became disabled myself,) and I became a straphanger. Some sketcy fella grabbed the strap behind me – all sensors went on as an alarm went off in my head. I squelched the alarm (it would distract me from the sensors,) and waited.
I felt just the slightest tug at my right hip pocket (wrong side, pal…) so I whipped my right hand back and grabbed him by the wrist. Then twisted his arm as I turned around to face him. “You have one /and/ /only/ /one/ opportunity to get out of this without injury. What were you doing with my pocket?” He didn’t answer, and that wasn’t acceptable. So, I dislocated his shouder for him.
Oddly, I didn’t have any more trouble over the following three days I was in Chicago…
Jon D. Kelley, do you ask for some kind of award for acting tough and committing a crime by injuring someone?