How to effectively protect yourself from crime

Travelling is exciting but it’s not free from risks, especially to your personal safety and belongings.

It doesn’t matter if you’re travelling or not, it’s important to stay vigilant to keep your things, and most importantly, yourself, secure and safe.

I’ve meet several people who have had their money, things or passports stolen!

An unwelcome surprise

I was lining up at a cafe in Venice when I noticed a woman in front of me had an small daypack and its front pocket was unzipped. As unzipped bags are my pet peeve, I told her about her bag was unzipped. She looked dismayed and grabbed her backpack and looked inside to realise her purse was gone!

She asked me when I noticed her bag was unzipped. I said just a moment ago, a minute after I joined the queue.

She was panicking and told her friend in front of her, as well as cafe staff.

Her purse had her cash, cards, and most importantly, her passport!

Luckily, staff found her discarded purse in a trash bin in a bathroom. The cash was gone but luckily her passport was still there.

It doesn’t matter what country you are in, male or female, travelling solo or in a pair or group, you must always be vigilant of your safety and security of your well-being and valuables, along with the safety of your travel companions.

The key is always prevention – reducing the likelihood of being a victim of crime or stopping it before it can happen to you or others.

Here are recommended simple but effective ways of protecting yourself and reducing the chances of being a victim of crime.

Keep your original and invaluable passport safe by leaving it at your accommodation locker or safe (or deep inside your secured backpack in a zipped pocket ideally) while having a photocopy of it when you out exploring the city, just in case you get asked for ID by an official authority officer.

If you’re at a public transport station always have at least one hand on your backpack at all times (if you’re not carrying it) and never leave your luggage out of your sight. Ever.

If you’re at a cafe or restaurant, secure your backpack by placing it on the ground by putting your foot through one of the straps so no one will try to try to take it without you noticing. Alternatively, you can sit next to a wall and place the backpack by your feet with the backpack against the wall – it will be difficult for anyone to try and steal it without you noticing due to the enclosed space.

Secure the contents of your backpack or daypack with a padlock by attaching it to double security pocket zips and zipping it to one constant side (never in the middle) so you can keep an eye on it from time to time.

If you have don’t have double security pocket zips on your backpack or daypack, always zip up your pockets to one constant side so you look at it occasionally while walking to make sure the pocket is still zipped up.

If you are visiting a place that has a reputation of being rather dangerous at night, it’s obviously better to follow local advice and stay inside during the late evening.

If you have to go out at night then let people know where you are going and for how long while having a phone on full charge and a sim card with credit. Or, even better, go out in a group for a fun and safe time.

While you may not help looking like a tourist, standing out from the local crowds, you can at least keep any expensive valuables away from view.

Don’t walk around wearing designer clothing, lots of beautiful jewellery and fancy gadgets – you will more likely make yourself a target for organised pick-pocketing gangs. Leave your valuables hidden from public view, or as a better option, leave them behind at your accommodation secured in a locker or safe.

If you’re not using your backpack or daypack, and if there’s space, place it inside a security locker, especially if you’re staying in a hostel. Don’t be naive in thinking no one will trifle through your daypack and steal something. If it can happen, it probably will happen so eliminate such a possibility.

Don’t leave any valuables out in public display either.

It’s astounding to see so many people putting their valuable smartphones in their back pockets of their trousers/pants. It’s common to see young women doing this – I understand front pockets are often too small to put a big smartphone in but there are other safer places of storing it.

I met a guy at a hostel in Amsterdam who had his American passport stolen. And where did he leave it?

His back pocket! *Face palm*

Avoid putting anything valuable in your back pockets.

If you’re on a public transport system such as the Underground, Metro, or Subway, or on a bus, try and keep a hand on your pocket with the smartphone inside to prevent the pick-pocketing of it, keeping your hand either on top of the pocket or inside it.

Be vigilant of any sudden brushes or bumps from a stranger.

If you’re holding your smartphone, hold it close to your chest, instead of away from it as someone could snatch out of your hand.

Furthermore, don’t casually leave your smartphone on top of a table such as when you’re dining at a cafe.

Get a pair of trousers or pants with zipped pockets

Trousers/pants with zipped pockets are incredible practical, offering greater security protection than ones without. Such zipped pockets can be found typically on cargo-style trousers/pants and shorts.

Just remember to zip up those pockets!

Never put all your bank or credit cards and cash all in one place. If they do get stolen, at least you still have the other half stashed somewhere else.

Always split them apart and keep most of them (or the ones you aren’t currently using) locked up in a security locker or safe.

If you can, avoid carrying too much cash with you at all; only carry enough for the day ahead and withdraw the smallest amount possible from a bank ATM (if you can – it can be difficult to do so if you are charged a fat transaction every time you make a withdrawal from a foreign ATM). Speaking of which…

While not overly common but still prevalent, it’s possible for your bank or credit card details to be captured by an ATM skimmer where your card details can be used fraudulently. Chipped credit cards are less likely prone to this but cards with magnetic strips are vulnerable.

Take a look at the video below for what a typical skimmer looks like.

It’s advisable to use an ATM inside or in front of a bank for a reduced chance of an ATM being tampered with due to security cameras present.

Avoid using standalone ATMs if possible, especially if you get a bad vibe about it. If you have to use one, check all around the screen and keyboard area to make sure there are no foreign things – things that look out of place.

Look out for:

• Fake number pad (on top of the real one) – give the pad a wiggle to see if it comes off.
• Fake card reader/slot (watch the above video – it’s placed in front of the real one). Wiggle it gently to see if it pops off.
• Small hidden cameras located in front and above the number pad, along with the side walls.
• Headphone socket is off-centre (a sign of ATM tampering).
• Random fixtures that are oddly present and serve no purpose (often a hidden camera).

Don’t be overly paranoid – just be street smart.

If you’re walking down a street and recognise an approaching potential scammer asking you for something or offering something for ‘free’, or someone with pick-pocketing vibes based on sight or gut feeling, keep on walking and don’t stop.

This is especially true if someone, especially a stranger, after striking up a shallow rapport, offers you a drink or invites you to a particular place for drinks – often such propositions result in extortion or robbery (such scams tend to target men).

Trust your instincts, say no and walk away.

Yeah you may look silly to some people by wearing your daypack in front but why should you care about a stranger’s opinion of how you look?

What’s more important: Looking ‘normal’ or keeping your valuables safe?

You can alternatively put a raincover onto your daypack or other bag as a light discouragement to would-be thieves.

Summary

Protecting yourself from crime, especially during your travels, is vital. Prevention is key to protect yourself and your valuable things, to minimise the chance of being a victim of crime, especially theft. To protect yourself from crime, remember to:

• Have photocopies of your passport.
• Always keep one hand or foot and eyes on your backpack.
• Lock the zips of your backpack.
• Leave your valuables behind or hidden from public view.
• Lock up your backpack and/or valuables in a security locker.
• Avoid the dead of night.
• Don’t leave valuables in your back pocket.
• Keep a hand on your smartphone.
• Always separate your money and cards.
• Use bank ATMs where possible.
• Trust your instincts.

Do you have other simple but effective security advice to keep your things and yourself safe?

Let other travellers and myself know in the comments below.

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