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And I am upset that SU now makes you type this in before you send messages. Don’t you trust me SU?!?

NOTE: No, I don’t think digg and SU are working together. I wrote the headline because they both use CAPTCHA, and the SU captcha happened to say “diggers”

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The year: 1970
The location: Florence, OR
The Subject: Blowing up a beached whale
The Verdict: NEVER AGAIN

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I’ve traveled pretty extensively in my life, and fortunately never been pick-pocketed while in either Asia or Europe. I’ve seen it happen to friends, and always been curious how pick-pocketers operate.

How a pickpocket works: Pickpockets work by taking advantage of a person who’s left them self vulnerable, or by creating a situation that distracts the person.

A pickpocket is the person you least expect. It could be the tourist snapping pictures beside you, the lady holding the baby, the business man reading the newspaper, or the student carrying their books. Their goal is to blend in with the surroundings- they want to be the last person you’d be suspicious of.

In a vulnerable situation, pickpockets simply need to position themselves close to you and wait. All it takes is you taking your eyes off your bag - if they were on it in the first place. Some examples of these situations:

• A person who has fallen asleep on the beach
• A person that leaves their open purse on the floor next to them at lunch
• Someone that leaves their laptop bag next to their chair at the library, and steps away to grab a book
• Someone who has a purse or tote on their shoulder while shopping
• Someone who stows their bag in the “storage compartment” while traveling

If the pickpocket has to make physical contact (you aren’t inviting them to steal with a situation above), the pickpocket(s) will try to distract you. These are a couple of the best pickpockets in the world showing some techniques.

Some examples of distractions you may encounter:

• A fight
• A street performer
• A flirtatious woman
• A lost child
• A woman who has dropped her bag
• Someone bumping into you on a crowded street/train/bus/subway
• A “new friend” while out drinking

Some tips to avoid being a target:

• Carry your wallet in your front pocket, if you do must carry it at all
• Carry a money belt under your clothing (around your waist), not around your neck
• Carry a fake wallet in your back pocket - I have actually caught a pickpocket red-handed with this method
• Don’t carry a large purse, instead carry a small clutch, and keep it in your hand at all times
• Carry your cash in your shoe - it may be a little funky, but it will be there!
• Be aware!!! The best thing you can do is be aware of your surroundings and yourself

If it happens to you, be prepared!!!

• Have photocopies of all your important documents in your hotel safe, and at home with a friend
• Have a one-sheet with all your important phone numbers (credit card companies, embassy, home, etc.) on it, also in your shoe
• Call to cancel your credit cards as quickly as possible
• Call your credit card company ahead of time to inform them you’re traveling abroad

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